


Sing Us A Song, You're The Piano Man

by Dont_Stop_Larry



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Adorable, Alternate Universe - High School, Bottom Harry, Bullying, Fluff, Hurt and comfort, I love this story so much, Im a nerd, Louis is new, M/M, Pining, Pizza, Scared Harry, Singing, Smut, Switches POV, Top Louis, beating up, cute af, h used to be on it, harry is curious about louis, harry is not, he does a stupid thing, injuries, is my first fic ever, larry is real, louis and harry are perfect, louis is popular, louis loves harry's curls, may i repeat, music heals all wounds, mysterious piano player, national championship in footie, ni li and lou on footie team, niall and liam love harry like a brother, nick grimshaw is an absolute twat, nick. grimshaw. is. horrible., side niam, terrible descriptions of footie, win or lose?, zayn is included
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-30
Updated: 2015-10-02
Packaged: 2018-04-24 04:56:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 41
Words: 124,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4906342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dont_Stop_Larry/pseuds/Dont_Stop_Larry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>***UNDERGOING EDITING AND REWRITING PROCESS***</p><p>So...hey, I guess. My name is Harry Styles, but I bet you already knew that. Sorry, I'm bad at this writing thing. My friends keep pestering me to write this down...they think I could get published or something.  Whatever.  I play football and sing.  That's about all I do...but I'm trying this anyway. Gonna warn you, it's not the happiest story in the world. In fact, it is a completely shitty story.  But you'll have to wait and see if you want the details. This is the story of how my absolutely horrible life was turned around, the story of how it all happened.  It all begins, and ends, I suppose, with a mysterious piano player, and a guy named Louis Tomlinson.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1 (Harry's POV)

**Author's Note:**

> ***UNDERGOING EDITING AND REWRITING PROCESS***
> 
> Hey, guys! Great to be here on ao3. This is my first ever fic, so please bear with me. I am my own editor, so there may be mistakes, and for that I apologize. this was based off of the song "Piano Man" and I personally love that song, so here we are. Feel free to praise or yell at me in the comments, I will most likely deserve whatever you throw at me :) sit back and enjoy! hope you like it! ~L  
> PS: First chapter is pretty short, but they get longer as it goes.

The floor was just as boring as always: ugly red and white tiles, littered with dust and dirt and broken pencils from the day. I would know. I've spent the better part of the past two years staring at it, my crazy brown curls half obscuring the vision of my bright green eyes. My name is Harry Styles, and I'm a nobody.  
Now, I guess that's mostly my fault. I'm extremely shy, and I don't really talk to many people. Kind of what social anxiety does to a person, but you don't want to hear about my issues. Let's just say, one guy in middle school felt like it was his job to make my life a living hell, and now here we are, six years later and I'm completely alone. Well, that's not true...I have Niall and Liam. They stuck by me through all the crap I went through, and were the only friends I had. It's not so bad. At least I had them, and my mom.   
All of this ran through my mind as I made my way down the hallway. School had been over for about 30 minutes now, but I was waiting for Niall and Liam to get out of footie practice. I went slowly to my locker and began to pull books out, getting ready to go out to the pitch and watch. I would do this every afternoon: wait around, then hide behind the bleachers and watch the footie team practice and run drills. I used to be on the team. I was a fairly decent player, actually, but...I had to quit. No reason, none at all. Just...yeah, let's move on.   
I was just finishing up when I heard a noise that I rarely ever heard. The sound of a piano. My locker was right near the music hall, so hearing some sort of musical sound was not uncommon, but...whomever was playing was clearly well-trained, which is why it shocked me. Most of the musicians at our school were mediocre at best. But this...it was a beautiful piece. I found myself walking slowly down the hallway, following the sound of the piano. I stopped outside the door to the chorus room and just closed my eyes, listening. The emotion behind the piece was clear, even if I couldn't see the player. I sank down to the floor, settling against the cool cinderblock wall and letting the music carry me away. It sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite place where I may have heard it before. I stayed there for a few minutes, and then with a glance at my watch, decided I had better head out to the pitch. I picked up my bag and hurried down the hallway. But, of course, being my clumsy self, I tripped over the door stop and fell right into two people coming from the opposite direction.   
“Whoa there, Haz. Don't hurt yourself.” Liam laughed, steadying me.  
“While you're at it, don't hurt us either. The team needs us,” Niall added, clapping me on the shoulder.  
“I don't doubt that, Nialler. Why are you guys here...don't you have practice?” I asked, brushing back some of my curls. My hair was getting long, but I was too lazy to get it cut. Besides, it helped me hide...some stuff that I didn't want anyone to see.   
“We got out early. Been looking all over for you! Got a new player as well,” Niall said offhandedly, taking a swig from his water bottle. I raised my eyebrows.  
“Yeah, Tommo's pretty cool. You'd like him, Haz. We'll introduce you tomorrow, yeah?” I almost protested. If this new Tommo guy was anything like some other members of the team, I wouldn't have enough time to like him...he would just beat the crap out of me like the rest of them. But Niall and Liam didn't know about that, so I just nodded. Not like I had any other choice; they would do it anyway. They were determined to help me make friends. But they didn't understand that nobody liked me.  
As they dragged me down the hallway, chatting aimlessly, my thoughts turned to the mystery piano player. Maybe I didn't know who it was, but I knew one thing...I had already fallen in love with the music.


	2. Chapter 2 (Harry's POV)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided since the first chapter was so short, i'd post a few more to get you guys started on the story!! Love you guys .xx  
> ~L

Niall and Liam came over to my house as usual, and we sat down and played FIFA for hours. Normally we talked about school and when we were working so that we could see each other over the weekend and maybe play a small game of footie or something. All they could seem to talk about, however, was the new football player...Tommo, or whatever his name was. They just rambled on and on about how he was one of the best footie players they had ever seen, and they couldn't wait to play with him and actually win some games. We used to win games all the time, but after...well, it just went downhill shortly after I left.   
When they left, I ventured out of my room and went downstairs to eat dinner with my mom. It was just me and her in the house, ever since Gemma, my sister, went off to Uni. People might find that lonely, but I didn't mind. I loved spending time with my mom. She was one of the only people who truly understood me. We ate in silence tonight, though. I could see how exhausted she was from work, and I didn't push her. I helped clean up the kitchen afterwards, and then I went back to my room, flopping down on my bed. It had been a long day. I eventually hauled myself back up and opened my laptop, starting my homework. It took the better part of three hours, and by the time I actually closed everything down, it was past midnight. I pulled off my pants and shirt and crawled into bed, thinking. I couldn't help but be nervous for tomorrow. I wasn't good around new people, and meeting the new guy would mean me being seen by the rest of the team, most of which hated my guts. I tried to push that thought away as I drifted off to sleep. Tomorrow was going to be interesting. 

________________

I woke up late the next morning.  
It wasn't like I tried to, it just happened sometimes. I ran around my room, throwing on random clothes and piling stuff into my backpack. I dashed down the stairs, tucking my unruly curls into a beanie, and my mom was waiting by the front door, some toast and a banana in her hand. I grabbed it, thanked her with a kiss on the cheek, and ran out onto the street. I could see people staring at me as I flew by, but for once, it didn't bother me. I had to get to school on time. I needed to be in class, otherwise they would find me. They always skipped class in the morning to catch the guys coming in late. They liked to have a little bit of fun before actually attending class.   
I could soon see the school ahead of me, and I ran faster. I could feel my lungs protesting...the worst part of having asthma, but I had to get there. I hurried up the steps, almost tripping three or four times. Guess that's what I get for having pigeon toes and long legs. I made it to my locker as the bell rang for the start of classes, and started throwing stuff in it, grabbing the books I would need for my first few classes. I yanked the beanie off my head and slammed my locker door shut, just to be slammed against it by a large pair of hands. I whimpered as the culprit's fingers dug into my skin.  
“Well, well, looked who decided to show up late. Guess he really wanted to see us, huh, lads?” Nick turned back to face me, his face split into a wide sneer. “So, Styles, what's got you running late? Did you and your boy toy have some fun last night?”   
I cringed backwards into the locker. Of course it had to be Nick. I opened my mouth to protest his words, but I earned a sharp slap to the face. I winced and tried not to let the tears spring up into my eyes.   
It had been like this for the past two years...ever since Nick had outed me to the entire school and I had been forced to quit the footie team. For some reason, he had an issue with me being gay. Yeah, sorry I forgot to mention that part. I'm gay. So yeah, he just...came after me every day. No one on the team knew what he did to me, other than Nick's crew, which consisted of the four biggest lads on the team. If Niall or Liam ever got word that he did this to me, there would be an uproar, and the whole team would fall apart. But I didn't want that. I didn't want their lives ruined because of me. So I just dealt with it. Nick and his buddies would be graduating this year, so I only had to make it through the rest of this school year and it would be OK.   
“You don't speak unless I say so, got it?” Nick growled into my ear, but I was done with this.  
“No, you know what, Nick? Fuck you. I never did anything to you and I don't deserve to be treated this way. Just because you can't accept me doesn't mean you have to...”   
'CRACK'!   
I fell to the floor, holding my face in my hands. I was sure my nose was broken. Nick crouched down next to me and growled, “Never speak to me like that again.” He stood back up, shoving me away as he did so, and stalked off, followed by his friends. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the lockers, but winced and pulled it away. I had slammed my head back into the lockers when he punched me. God, it hurt so much. I had to get to the bathroom  
I pulled myself up slowly and staggered towards the nearest bathroom, which, thankfully, wasn't too far away. I leaned on the wall for support and made it to the sink. I looked up into the mirror and winced horribly. My face was covered in blood, but luckily none of it had gotten on my shirt. I felt the back of my head gingerly, but it didn't seem to be severely injured. I grabbed some paper towels and dabbed at my nose, trying to stop the bleeding, and then the tears came. I didn't try to stop myself as I sobbed. It just hurt so much, the physical pain, the emotional pain, all of it. What did I ever do wrong?  
The door to the bathroom opened and I sucked in a breath, trying to control myself in case it was someone that I knew. I lowered my head and tried to wash the blood off my face as the guy went to the bathroom. He came over to wash his hands, and I was all set on ignoring him, when my head suddenly gave a throb, and I grabbed for something, which just happened to be the guy's wrist.  
“Oops...I...I'm sorry...” I gasped out, trying to steady myself.  
“Hi...umm, hey, you ok?” the guy asked, and I turned to look at him for the first time.  
I didn't recognize him at all. He was shorter than me, must have been by a good four inches or so. He had on tight black skinny jeans, rolled up at the ankles, a black shirt that said 'Killers' on it, and black Vans.. His hair was swept in a soft fringe across his forehead and covered by a grey beanie, and his eyes...damn, those were some really pretty blue eyes. I shook myself and let go of him, backing away slowly.   
“I'm sorry...I'll just go...I'm fine...” I stuttered out. What the heck is wrong with me? I'm not fine, and he's trying to help. But I can barely speak...he's just so...good looking.  
“Sure doesn't look OK to me...what the hell happened?” The guy asked, reaching towards me. I flinched backwards, but he just brushed a stray stream of blood from my face, looking at me with a concerned expression.  
“S'nothing. Just got in a fight, that's all.” I mumbled, looking away from him. I feel my back touch the wall, and I feel cornered. He's not pressuring me or anything, but for some reason, I start getting really nervous and my hands began to shake. I slid down to the floor and curled up. He took a step forward and I cowered away from him. “Please...d-don't hurt me...” I begged.   
“I'm not going to hurt you...I want to help you...come here...” He offered me his hand and I took it warily.   
Wow, his hands are tiny...  
He pulled me to my feet and supported me as I swayed slightly, my head still feeling a little fuzzy.   
“Come on, I'm taking you to the infirmary. What's your name?” He asked as he guided me towards the door.”  
“M'Harry,” I mumbled. This was weird. No one in this school was this nice, not to me anyway...definitely meant that this was a new kid. Well, he would regret helping me if anyone saw him...  
“Harry...nice to meet you, Harry. I'm Louis.” I smiled a little at his name. It was just so appropriate, fit him perfectly. I didn't say another word as we struggled down the hallway. Louis was strong, but I was long and gangly and not the easiest person to support. When we finally got to the infirmary, he helped me sit down and went to the window to talk to the nurse. He then came and sat down next to me, waiting patiently and tapping his fingers on his knee.  
“Why...why did you help me?” I asked timidly. He looked shocked at the question.  
“Because I wasn't just going to leave you there...you're hurt. What kind of person would I be if I let a beautiful person like you suffer by yourself...” He trailed off, and I blushed crimson, hoping he couldn't see. The nurse came out a moment later and he helped me over to her. She nodded and started to lead me back towards one of the rooms. Louis turned around to leave, but I grabbed hold of his sleeve.  
“Wait...umm, thanks. For, you know...” I stuttered, trying not to look him in the eye. He smiled and I literally could have melted on the spot.  
“No problem. See you around, Harry.” He said kindly, and walked out of the office.  
“Really good friend you've got there, Harry,” the nurse commented. I shrugged. I had only just met Louis, but he had been genuinely nice to me, and he was...very attractive. Nope. I was not going to do this. Not again. I just let the nurse guide me back to one of the rooms and examine me, trying to keep my mind off of Louis.   
“Well, sweetie, your nose isn't broken, just bruised a bit. You can go home, though, if you want. That bump on your head looks nasty.” I shook my head really fast, my curls bouncing and my head hurting only a little bit.  
“No! I mean...I'll be fine. Thanks so much.” I answered quietly. She smiled kindly and held out my books. Where my books had come from I didn't know, but I wasn't about to stick around to question it. If Nick found out that I had gone to the nurse, I was sure to get a beating, and that was the last thing I wanted. I hurried off to class, thinking about Louis.


	3. Chapter 3 (Harry's POV)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just getting more into Harry's story. hope you are liking it so far! .xx  
> ~L

So, as it turns out, I spent the entire rest of my morning thinking about Louis. OK, no, not the entire morning...just 99% of it. I couldn't get him out of my head. He had been nice, he had helped me when no one else would, and he was really, really attractive. But I wasn't falling for him. No I was not. I talked, or rather, stumbled over my own tongue, to him for a whole ten minutes. Definitely not enough to have feelings for someone. I once again tried forcing the blue eyed boy out of my head as I headed back to my locker before lunch. I shoved my books in and then groaned, realizing that I hadn't packed a lunch and I had no money. I knew that Liam or Niall would pay for me if I asked, but I hated asking people for money. It was just one of those things. That's why I had a job, so that I could provide for myself and not have to ask for help. Sorry, getting off track.  
I started heading towards the lunch room, the hallways almost empty since the bell had already rung. I had taken two steps away from my locker when I heard it. The piano again. It was the same piece as yesterday. I hesitated for a fraction of a second before turning on my heel and heading into the music hallway. I settled myself outside the door to the choral room and just listened. The vibe of the music seemed to be more cheerful than yesterday, for some reason, and I was not complaining. It was beautiful. I pulled out a book and began to work on my homework. Maybe, if I got my work done, I would be able to go to the footie scrimmage tonight. As I worked, I heard whomever was playing stop several times and restart, trying to get one part just right. The bell rang and I jumped. I hadn't realized that lunch had gone by so quickly. The piano stopped abruptly and I heard shuffling from inside the room. I didn't want to be caught listening...who knows who was playing...they might even beat me up for listening...you never know with the people in my school. I scrambled to collect my things and walked quickly out of the music hallway, just managing to cross through the door before I heard the chorus room door open. I slid into the large crowds of teens swarming to get to class, breathing out a sigh of relief as I hurried off to class.  
That was close...

Finally, finally, it was the end of the day. My classes hadn't been bad, but people kept looking at me. I guess my face had started to bruise, because people were pointing and whispering as I walked the halls in between classes. It made me very self conscious. I don't like people talking about me. I waited until all of the students had left or gone to clubs, and then emerged and hurried to my locker. I put my books away slowly, trying to take up some time. I hummed to myself as I threw my surprisingly light bag over my shoulder and grabbed my sweatshirt. It was starting to warm up a little bit, but I got cold easily. I decided to go to the pitch early, since practice would only be half as long with the scrimmage tonight.   
I walked calmly through the halls, knowing that no one was there to stop me or hurt me, and it felt good...almost like it used to before Nick ruined everything. I pushed any thought of Nick from my mind as I exited the school through the back door and snuck behind the bleachers to the field. I could hear the yells of the team as they did drills and messed around. I almost smiled. I missed playing so much. But I could never go back...they wouldn't accept me, even if I had been one of the best forwards on the team...whatever. I settled in my usual spot behind the center field seats and just watched. I could see Niall's blonde head in the goal, and Liam doing drills with a couple other guys. I just sighed and pulled out more homework.   
About twenty minutes later, the whistle blew and the whole team rushed to center field to meet with the coach as they discussed the scrimmage and how practice went and everything. I knew the drill. They would talk for five minutes, then do the team chant, and then Niall and Liam would wait and I would meet them on the edge of the field. I packed up, shouldered my bag, and walked carefully to the edge of the field. Nick saw me and gave me the evil eye, but that was all he could do. He couldn't let Niall and Liam, or more importantly, the coach, know how terrible he was to me. I just kept my head down and kicked at the track with the toe of my shoe until I heard the chant, and then I looked up, pulling my beanie out of my bag and jamming it onto my messy curls.   
“Hey there, Haz!” Liam called as he jogged over to me, Niall hanging back to talk to a guy.   
“Hi, Li,” I said quietly, taking his bag from him as he gulped down some water.  
“You coming to the scrimmage tonight?” He asked, all out of breath. I nodded and he grinned. “Good, good. Oh right, you gotta meet our new member...OI! NIALLER, TOMMO!”   
Niall came jogging over, followed by another team member. I took a good look at him and I almost gasped out loud. It was Louis.  
Niall grinned as he pushed Louis ahead of him, arm around his shoulders. “Harry, this is our new teammate, Louis. We just call him Tommo, but Louis is fine too.”   
Louis looked up and I saw his eyes get wide. He recognized me. I gulped and held out my hand for him to shake. He looked at it, looked at me, and shook it firmly, smiling at me.  
“Long time, no see, Harold.” Louis commented cheekily, and I blushed. Why was I blushing around him?   
Well, possibly because he's wearing shorts and a tight shirt and his hair is wet from sweat and he looks so freaking hot...good god, Harry, control yourself...  
Liam looked between the two of us curiously. “Wait...you guys know each other?” Before Louis or I got a chance to answer, Niall came forward and brushed my curls out of my face, staring at me in horror.  
“Haz...what happened to your face?” I brought my hand up to my nose quickly. I had completely forgotten about it. Louis opened his mouth to respond, but I gave him a look over Niall's head. If Louis told Liam and Niall what had happened...well, it wouldn't be good for them to know. I didn't want them to pity me. I shrugged Niall off.  
“Oh, I just fell. You know, me being a clumsy ass as usual. Nothing to worry about,” I lied casually. Louis got a small frown on his face and his eyebrows creased, but he didn't say a word.   
Just then, another member of the team came running up to our group.  
“Hey, Tommo, am I still getting a ride...oh...hi, Harry. I haven't seen you in a long time...how are you?” I swallowed hard as Zayn pushed forward and clapped me on the shoulder.  
Zayn had been on the team when I joined. He was a senior, like Nick, but he was one of the ones that didn't come after me when Nick outed me. He hadn't done anything to help me either, but he was still a good friend from the team, even if I hadn't spoken to him in two years.   
“Hey, Z. It's going ok, how about you?”   
“Not too bad...It sucks that this is my last season, but there will be talent scouts here soon, and hopefully I'll get recruited for a team in Uni.” He smiled wide, and then told Louis he would meet him in the locker room, before jogging away, his raven head bobbing up and down as he entered the locker room.   
“Well, look at you, Harry, two friends made in one day. I call that progress!” Niall cheered. “We should grab our stuff, Li. Wait out here, Haz, and we will be right back.” They dashed off towards school as well. I expected Louis to follow them, but he stayed where he was until they were both out of sight.   
“Why didn't you tell them about us meeting? Or about me taking you to the nurse?” He asked. He didn't sound angry, more curious. He looked up at me, his blue eyes peeking out from beneath is sweaty fringe, and I couldn't lie to him. Not fully, anyway.  
“I just...umm, I didn't see them all day and...I didn't want them to know that I went to the nurse. They would get worried and it would take their minds off of the game...I don't want to do that. I know how it feels to be distracted out on the field.” I bit down on my lip, tugging on a stray curl nervously. Had I said too much? Louis just nodded.  
“I understand. We don't have to tell them if you don't want to. I was just curious.” He paused for a moment, and then asked, “Wait...you were on the team?”   
Damn it...  
“Umm...Yeah, I was. Once. Not anymore. I don't play football, I'm just...I...yeah.” I fumbled over my words and Louis eyed me warily.  
“Are you afraid of me, Haz?”   
I tingled at the nickname. It was strangely hot hearing that come out of his mouth. But I shook my head vigerously.  
“No no, I just...I'm not good with people...I get nervous and I just...can't think straight. Sorry. I know I'm annoying.”  
“You're not annoying...you're quite adorable, actually. Sorry, that sounds so weird, but...” He trailed off, looking up at me through his lashes. I blushed yet again, and was about to say something when I heard a voice calling for him. He sighed.  
“That's Zayn. I'd better go. I'll see you around, though, ok, Harry?” I nodded and offered a small smile, which he returned before running off. I watched him go, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't staring at his butt, cause shit, that boy had a nice ass.   
Louis passed Liam and Niall as they came out of the locker room, and both of them said goodbyes before hurrying up to me, their bags shouldered and their hair damp from the showers.  
“Ready to go?” Niall asked, and I nodded. As we started walking across the field, my mind went back to lunch, and the piano piece I had heard. I felt something in my stomach, like pleasure, at the mere thought of whomever was behind those doors, playing. There was just something about that person that made me happy. But then that made me question the weird feelings I was having for Louis. Was it possible I was falling for two people at once? No, no I wasn't. I wasn't falling for anyone. The last time I had done that, it had ended in disaster. I didn't deserve to like anyone, and no one wanted me anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last one for tonight! This chapter is where we start to have two POV, starts with Harry and then goes into Louis. I will indicate where it changes! Night, guys .xx  
> ~L

Harry POV:

Niall, Liam, and I did homework for the next few hours. Well, they did homework, while I checked Twitter and Facebook. It's not like they wanted to, but they had to get it done, seeing as they had a scrimmage. They talked a little as they worked, discussing tactics for the game and who would be starting this season. I listened in, not really saying much. Hearing about the team now that I wasn't on it really bothered me. But of course, they didn't know that, and I wasn't going to stop them from enjoying their conversation.   
When the clock hit six, Niall and Liam packed up their books and pulled out their uniforms, and my normally neat room turned into a mess of discarded clothes and smelly footie equiptment. I didn't mind though...that's how it used to be, and I felt a bit nostalgic at the thought of how it was...all three of us dominating the field, each of us covering an essential part of the team. I realized I was getting sentimental and shook my head to clear it. I grabbed a warm jumper and slipped it on over my t-shirt, and then pulled my grey beanie down over my curls. As I did this, I started humming again, not really knowing what I was doing until Liam looked up at me with a curious expression on his face.  
“Haz, what's that you're humming?”  
“Huh? Oh, umm...” I thought about it for a second, trying to recall where I had heard it before. “I, umm...well, the past two days, I’ve heard someone playing the piano in the music hallway.”  
“Not an odd thing to hear in a music hallway, though,” Niall replied jokingly, struggling to find the head hole in his jersey. I shook my head.  
“No, it's different. Whomever it is...they play with such passion, and the song is so beautiful, I don't even think I can explain the feeling I get when I hear it.” Niall snickered.  
“If I didn't know better, I'd say you were in love...”  
“No one can fall in love with a person by hearing them play an instrument...that's not how it works, Ni.” Liam stated, pulling on his cleats. Such a smart one, Liam.   
“Well, that's how I fell in love with Harry. I heard him sing once and I was so far gone..” Niall noted with a cheesy expression, putting a hand to his heart and giving me heart eyes. I shoved him and he fell over into his own bag.   
“Oh, shit, that is rank!” Niall coughed, rolling away from his footie bag as fast as he could. Liam and I both laughed as he stood up, shuddering and kicking at his bag.  
“BOYS! We're gonna be late if you don't stop messing around!” Called a voice from downstairs, and we all stopped laughing at once. No one messed with my mom when we were on a schedule. Liam and Niall shoved all of their clothes and other things into their bags and hoisted them onto their shoulders as my mom appeared in the doorway.  
“Come on, you three, we haven't got all day.” She scoffed, seeing our hidden smiles and flushed cheeks from hiding our laughter.  
“Whatever you say, Mrs. Cox!” Niall chirped cheerily, and he paraded out of the room. Liam and I shot a look at each other before following him down the stairs and out to the car. Niall could be such an idiot sometimes. But he was our little leprechaun, and we didn't want him any other way.   
The drive to school was a short and silent one. Niall and Liam were in the zone, focused on the scrimmage ahead of them. I just fiddled with the sleeves of my jumper, keeping my head down. Crowds always made me nervous, even in the days when I played football with the team. I don't know why, but that's just how it was.   
My mom parked in VIP parking, since she was harboring two of the players, and they clambered out of the back of the car, waving at me as they ran towards the field. We had barely made it on time.   
“Ok, Harbear, be careful, and call me when you are on your way home, ok?” My mom said, hugging me. I blushed at the name, but kissed her on the cheek anyway and nodded, promising that I would do just that. I then made my way to the field, keeping to myself. There were lots of people from school there, but no one even spared a glance for me as I surveyed the bleachers, eventually choosing a seat in the front row behind the bench. In front of me I could see our team in a huddle. Coach was giving them the usual pep talk, while the members of the other team warmed up. I pulled out my phone and started playing some mindless game on it, until I heard the whistle blow, and the teams took up their positions. I watched as Niall sprinted for the goal, while Liam took up his stance as a defender. I moved my gaze towards the forwards, and saw with a shock of surprise, that Louis was standing there, bouncing up and down on the tips of his toes, a nervous smile clear even from this distance. Next to him was Nick...of course. He had been the best forward on the team aside from me, but ever since I had quit, he had been the head of the team. Maybe Louis would show him up or something. Nick caught a glimpse of me and flipped me off. I put my head down and ignored it, typing away uselessly on my phone. Then the whistle blew, and the scrimmage began.   
I watched intently, observing the other team's strategy and focus. They seemed like a well oiled machine, but they didn't know what was coming. Our school had one of the best footie teams around, and everyone knew it. They sprinted up the field, just barely making it past Liam, and the guy with the ball slammed his foot into it, aiming right for the goal.  
A cheer went up from our side. Niall had saved it, and was grinning like the Irish idiot that he is as he placed it on the ground to kick it back into play. The ball went straight for Nick, and he dribbled down the field. As much as I hated him, I had to admit that he was a fine player. He passed the ball swiftly to Louis, who was open, and my eyes widened. Louis was being converged on by all three forwards of the other team as he got the ball between his feet. He swung his leg back and took the long shot before they could get there, and it soared straight into the left corner of the net. An explosion of applause and screaming came from our supporters as Louis came back up to his side, being patted on the back or shoulder checked by his teammates. My mouth was wide open, and as I realized this, I shut it quickly.  
“Good, isn't he?” said a voice from behind me. I jumped and let out a small squeak, but relaxed as Zayn sat down next to me.  
“Umm, aren't you supposed to be over there...?” I asked timidly. It had been a long time since I had spoken to Zayn alone, and I didn't really know what to say.   
“I had to use the bathroom, and coach isn't putting me in until the second half. Figured I would come check on you; you seemed lonely.” I blushed a little. He was right, I was lonely. I didn't expect him of all people to notice, though. He had always been the quiet one on the team. I looked back to the game, where Louis was headed down the pitch with the ball again.  
“Louis...what a good player. Don't think I've seen anyone that good since you were on the team.” Zayn mused, watching Louis pass the ball to Josh, the third forward.   
“Yeah, he's pretty amazing. Do...do you know why he came here?” I asked, curious. Zayn shrugged.  
“Not quite sure. I think his mom had to move for her job or something. Either way, I'm glad to have him on the team. He's a great lad.” He smiled at me, and I returned the gesture. It was nice to talk to him again. Felt almost like old times.  
“Oh, damn, gotta go! Nice chatting, Harry. We will again, yeah?”   
I nodded and he rushed off towards the coach and the other members of the team that were watching from the sidelines.  
When halftime came, I got up to grab a bite to eat, realizing how hungry I was. The line was so long that by the time I got back, it was almost time for the game to start again. I took my seat, chowing down on the hot dog in my hand. Niall and Liam came up to me from the pile of football players, sweaty but grinning. They were having the time of their lives out there, and it made me happy that I could see that happen for them.   
“Hey, Haz! Enjoying the game so far?” Liam asked, dumping some ice water on his head, despite the chilly temperature. I nodded slowly, giving a thumbs up to tell them that they were doing a great job. Niall slumped down into my lap and I grimaced, feeling how sticky his jersey was.  
“Oh, don't act like you don't like me sitting on your lap...you love it!” Niall said, his voice all high and mighty. “God, this is the best. Tommo is killing it out there!” Liam nodded in agreement,  
“He's an amazing player! Well, gotta go. See you after the game, Harry!” They got up and walked over to the bench again, missing what I said under my breath.  
“Yeah...he's amazing.”

The rest of the scrimmage flew by. Louis scored four more goals, leaving me nearly deaf and voiceless from screaming so loud. At the end of the game, the team all ran out onto the field and jumped into a pile of sweaty guys on center field, yelling and cheering like the rest of us. I stood up and waited by the bench as the bleachers emptied, people still whooping and yelling themselves hoarse. Even if it was just a scrimmage, they had played extremely well. I bit down on my lip hard, remembering what it felt like to be in the midst of all that. To be a part of a team. To be wanted.

________________

Louis POV:

I felt absolutely elated as the final whistle blew and the stands erupted into cheers. I could see the team running onto the field, and I happily dove with them into a giant pile up, yelling loudly with everyone else. Once I disentangled myself from the crowd of sweaty boys and made my way to the coach, thanking him for allowing me to be on the team without tryouts. Then we did the usual line up with the other team and said 'good game' and all that. As I made my way to the bench, three people jumped on me from behind. I laughed as I spotted Niall's blonde head, Liam's muscular arm, and Zayn's bright red cleats.  
“Oi, lads, don't want to break anything now, do we? I need my bones in one piece, thanks.” I yelled cheekily at them as they patted me on the back. These three boys had accepted me without any question, just like I had always been there, and it really made me feel good. They led me back to the bench, talking and laughing. I picked up my water bottle to take a swig, and almost choked on my water. Standing a bit far back from the bench, fiddling with his phone, was Harry. I didn't know his last name, we hadn't exactly gotten to that when I had found him in the bathroom, all bloody and beaten. I still didn't know what that was about, but I did know that no one as beautiful as this boy deserved to be hurt like that. Wow that sounds a bit gay, doesn't it? Oh well, I was just stating a fact.   
He looked up at that moment and caught my eye, blushing and looking back down at his phone. Wow...he was attractive...wait what? No, sorry, I didn't think that at all.   
“We'll see you lads at practice tomorrow, yeah?” Liam called as he and Niall walked towards Harry. Zayn and I nodded, and bid them farewell. Harry smiled a little as Niall and Liam went up to him, and his smile made the corner of my mouth twitch upwards. I looked back down at my bag, made sure I had everything, and swung it up onto my shoulder, turning towards Zayn. He was already waiting for me, and we began walking to my car. Zayn usually got a ride from one of the other lads on the team, but he lived right next to me and it only seemed right of me to drive him. We got in the car and turned out of the parking lot, before I got up the courage to speak.  
“Hey, Z. What do you know about Harry?” He looked surprised at my question.  
“Harry Styles? Oh, he's...well, you've met him. He used to be on the team with us. He's a really good lad. Used to be quite outgoing, actually.” Zayn looked sad at that, and he noticed the confused look on my face. “Oh, you wouldn't know about that, would you. So, you know, umm...one of the guys on the team, when he found out that Harry was gay, and we still don't know how he found that out, outed him to the whole school, claiming that Harry was trying to, well, just a lot of terrible things were said. None of us really cared if he was gay or not, but it was a big deal to this guy. Harry...well, he ended up quitting the team and basically retreating into himself. I haven't spoken to him in two years...I wish I would have done something to help him out.”  
I stayed silent as I turned onto mine and Zayn's road. What kind of a person would do that to Harry? He seemed like a wonderful guy. “Who was it? The guy that outed him?”  
“That's not for me to say. I mean, it's pretty obvious, but you'll have to ask Harry.” Zayn shook his head and opened the door as I stopped in front of his house. “I'll see you tomorrow, yeah? Usual time?” I nodded and he grinned, closing the door and hurrying up the steps to his house.   
I drove down to the next house, parked the car, and got out, fumbling with my key to the front door. As soon as I was inside, I wandered into the den, avoiding the boxes everywhere. My mom was seated in front of the telly, but she looked up when I entered, and smiled.  
“Loubear! How was it?” I cringed a little.  
“Mum, don't call me that! And it was amazing...we won. And the team really has accepted me this time. I think here, it will be different.” She nodded, and then kissed my cheek.  
“Better get to bed, sweetie. School tomorrow.” I nodded wearily and traipsed up the stairs, going quietly so as not to wake my siblings. I got to my room, which was also filled with boxes, and threw my bag onto my bed. I stripped out of my sweaty clothes and jumped in the shower quickly. As I pulled on dry boxers and crawled into bed, my thoughts turned to the curly headed boy that I had saved in the bathroom...wow, only this morning. I wondered what had happened to make him the way he was. With that thought, I fell into a deep sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting the rest of this in one go...hope you enjoy it .xx  
> ~L

Harry's POV:

When I woke up the next morning, it was to the sounds of loud snores. Niall and Liam had stayed the night, and they were sprawled on the floor next to each other, their mouths wide open. I looked blearily at my phone, and suddenly it started ringing off the hook. The boys on my floor groaned and pulled blankets over their heads, but I just sighed and turned off my alarm, dragging myself out of bed.   
I made my way to the bathroom, stripped down, and jumped in the shower, letting the hot water wake me up. As I got out and toweled my hair dry, my mind turned to Louis. He had looked at me last night, while I was waiting for Liam and Niall. I know it meant nothing, just a glance, but it had caused me to blush. I do not blush. Was I really developing feelings for Louis?   
No, Harry. Just no. You can't do that, remember what happened the last time...  
I sighed, pushing the surfacing memories away, wrapped a towel around my waist, and made my way back into my bedroom, heading for my closet. What to wear today...It always took me forever to figure out what to wear, even though I usually ended up picking out a similar outfit every day.   
I finally decided on dark blue skinny jeans and a blue shirt...pretty standard for me, with the exception of the shirt color. I normally wore black or white, but today I wanted to look good.  
Wait...why do I want to look good...I don't have anyone to impress...  
Oh yes you do, Harold... My brain answered me back, and I blushed at my own thoughts. Not liking Louis like that was not working out too well for me.   
I looked at my phone again, then walked over to the boys and started nudging them with my foot. They groaned and pushed me away, but I was persistant.  
“Get your lazy arses off my floor! We are going to be late, and you know how much Coach hates it when we...I mean, you guys, miss class...” I stuttered towards the end and fell silent. Of course I had to make that slip up. It didn't happen often, but when it did it just brought back a whole bunch of memories and pain that I didn't want to deal with. I slipped on some shoes as they pulled themselves up, only in their boxers.  
“Wow, Harry, you look good in blue! Who are you trying to impress, huh?” Niall pressed, giving me a knowing look. I looked away, mumbling, “No one...”   
“Oh, come on Haz...you don't wear color. That's just not how it works! Tell little Nialler!”   
“Niall, leave him alone, it's too early in the morning to be asking pressing questions. If Harry wanted to tell us, he would. So let's just leave him be. Maybe he just wants to change up his look.” Liam grumbled, pulling out his wrinkled clothes from his bag and sniffing them carefully. “Fuck...Uh, Haz, do you have any cologne?”   
I nodded and grabbed it off my nightstand, tossing it to them, and then grabbed my bag, heading down to the kitchen to make us all a hurried breakfast. Not many people knew it, but I was a great cook. At least, that's what my mom told me, and since I had no other opinion to go off of, I believed her.  
We were already late leaving as Niall and Liam sprinted down the stairs, grabbing toast from me and hurrying out the front door. I ended up behind them because I had to lock the door and all that, and it just wasn't a good idea for me to run, considering my asthma. It wasn't as bad as it used to be, but I was still prone to having a random attack, and it was normally put on by me running because I was late. Hopefully I would be able to avoid Nick and his gang.   
I hurried into school just as the warning bell sounded. I had one minute. I could do this. I tossed my stuff into my locker and was just about to head to class when someone slammed my locker door shut. I flinched horribly, dropping all of my books, and cringed away.  
“Oh, god, that was loud wasn't it? I'm so sorry, Harry I...are you OK?” A familiar voice said. I looked up and saw Louis standing there, his fringe softly falling over his forehead and his blue eyes filled with concern. I relaxed and knelt down to pick up my books.  
“Yeah, fine I just...I didn't expect to see you here...what are you doing here, exactly?” I said, fumbling my words as he knelt down and started helping me with my stuff. He shrugged, but I could swear I saw a little tiny blush coat his cheeks.  
“I just thought I would come see how you were. Did you think I was someone else?” I thought for a moment about telling him that yes, I had thought he was Nick coming to beat me up as per usual, but we weren't even close friends or anything like that.  
But you would like that, wouldn't you, Harry...   
“No, you just surprised me. No one comes to my locker...I don't have many friends.” I admitted shamefully, standing with a pile of messy papers in my hands. Louis stood too, handing over my books and a stray pencil.  
“Well, consider me your new friend, Haz!” he said happily, and I blushed yet again. He was just so happy, and I kinda liked it.   
“Th-thank you...guess we should go or we will be...” I began, but then I caught sight of Nick and his crew rounding the corner. My voice died and I felt all the color drain from my face. Louis looked confused and turned around, but they were already gone, down another hallway to beat up another defenseless nerd like myself. Louis cocked an eyebrow at me, and I just shook my head, plastering a smile onto my face.  
“Nothing...it's nothing, just...got dizzy for a second. I'll see you later, yeah?” I rushed through my words and turned quickly down the hallway. Louis just stood there for a moment, watching me go, before heading off in the other direction. I breathed a sigh of relief. Louis Tomlinson had just saved me from a seriously bad morning, and he had no fucking clue. 

________________

I didn't see much of anyone until I entered the cafeteria for lunch. Lunch was always a solitary experience for me. Niall and Liam would sometimes invite me to sit with them, but they sat with the rest of the football team, which meant I would have to sit with Nick, and I just could not handle that. I walked slowly around, looking for an empty table that I could hide at, but Niall and Liam were calling me over to their table, waving and stuff. I sighed and walked over to them.  
“Hey, guys, umm...I really shouldn't sit here...” I said nervously, eyeing Nick and his gang. Liam saw where my eyes had darted, and he put a hand on my arm soothingly.  
“Hey, don't worry about Nick. Just take a seat, ok? Between us, come on.” He pulled out the chair and I sank down slowly. Liam and Niall may not have known about the constant bullying I endured, but they did know what Nick had done two years ago, and they knew that I didn't like to be around him. Nick just happened to look over at that time and made a disgusted face, but otherwise didn't say a word. He obviously couldn't show his full hatred for me in front of my friends, not if he wanted to stay on the team.   
“So, Haz, you coming to our first game? It's next Tuesday...we need our cheerleader, yeah?” Niall asked conversationally, and I merely nodded, taking a bite from my sandwich. I didn't trust myself to say anything, for fear that Nick or one of his friends would make a remark that would leave me sobbing in the bathroom for hours. It's not like I wasn't used to how they treated me. And I wasn't ashamed of my sexuality either. But the things they said still got to me. I'm an oversensitive little fuck.  
Liam and Niall both smiled at that and kept talking to me, asking me questions and keeping me in the conversation. I only said a few select words, and every time I spoke I got the death glare from down the table. I had almost made it through all of lunch without him saying a word to me, but of course, I just wasn't a lucky person. Niall had just asked me a question and I opened my mouth to answer, but I was cut off.  
“Why don't you just take your fag opinions somewhere where they are wanted, yeah? Oh, that's right...they aren't wanted. You're not wanted.” Nick growled at me, and the whole table, apart from a few select people, burst into laughter. I could feel my throat close up and my eyes filled with tears. I stood up abruptly, and ignoring the pleas of Liam and Niall for me to sit back down, I stalked out of the cafeteria, trying to keep my composure long enough to escape. I could hear them calling rude remarks after me, but I just didn't want to listen anymore. Once I was out of sight of the cafeteria, I sprinted up the stairs and down another hallway, tears splashing down onto my cheeks. Why did they hate me so much? Just because I had fallen for the completely wrong guy at the wrong time...they made me feel like shit all the time. Why did I even deal with it? There was only one place I could go that would make me fell better...the music hall. If that pianist was there practicing again, it might calm me down before I had a full fledged panic attack in the school hallway. It had happened once before, coincidentally the same day that Nick and his friends started beating me up. What a great life I live.  
I sprinted for the music hallway, and as I turn the corner, I almost collide with Louis as he rushes in the opposite direction.   
“Shit...I-I'm sorry...” I gasp out. Louis looks up at me, smiling as if to say that it was ok, but then his smile is gone, replaced with a frown of concern.  
“Harry...are you crying? What's wrong?”  
“N-nothing, Lou...I'm f-fine...what are you doing down here?” I stuttered out, becoming curious. What was Louis, a football player, doing in the music hallway during lunch. He almost looked frightened for a second, but maybe it was because there was a bawling giant in front of him (in case you didn't know, I mean me).   
“I just had to talk to my music teacher. Apparently I forgot to turn in a required paper, and I was just turning that in.” he said. He placed his hand on my elbow, and I almost shivered. “Hey, you sure you're alright? You don't look ok...”   
I almost smiled at his words. He actually cared about me, and it felt...really nice, for a change. “I'm fine. I'm just being a stupid bitch, as usual. It's nothing to worry about.” Louis frowned a little bit more.  
“If you're sure...but you can always talk to me if something is bothering you. I'm always willing to listen.”  
“Why would you even want to do that? I don't want to bother you with my problems...”   
“Because you're my friend. And that's what friends do, yeah? Help each other out?” I gaped at him.  
“W-we're friends?”  
He gripped my arm tighter. “Of course we are...did you think we weren't? Oh god, did I do something wrong? Did I say the wrong thing? God I'm a mess, I just...” He trailed off uselessly, and I had to admit, he was really cute when he was flustered.   
“No, of course not, Lou. I just didn't think you would want to be my friend. I thought maybe you were joking when you offered.” I admitted, blushing. His touch was really starting to get to me.  
“I would never joke about something like that, Harry.” His hand slid off of my arm, grazing my forearm on the way down. His fingertips ran over the back of my hand and lingered there for a moment, before he pulled away and ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I really should be going...gonna be late for my next class. As long as you're sure you're ok.”   
I nodded and he began to walk away.  
“Wait!” He turned back to face me and my face burned bright red. “Um, do you want to...like, hang out sometime? You know, since we're friends and...yeah.” I said, not knowing where my courage was coming from. I bit my lip, holding my breath and expecting him to say no, but he smiled at me, a really big smile that made his eyes crinkle at the sides.  
“Of course I would. Friday sound good, your house?” I gave a fervent nod, and he waved goodbye as he hurried down the hallway. I turned to my locker, opening it, with a huge smile breaking over my face. Maybe this term wouldn't be so bad after all.


	6. Chapter 6

Harry's POV:

Well, now it was Friday, and I was in my last class of the day. My palms were sweating and I was almost shaking. It wasn't that I regretted asking Louis to hang out or anything. I didn't at all...but I was absolutely terrified. Liam and Niall kept looking back at me, looking mildly concerned, but with smirks on their faces. I had ended up telling them what was going on Wednesday after school, which I now realized was a really stupid idea.  
*Flashback*   
“So, Harry, I was thinking that we could go out to eat after practice on Friday. You know, we haven't had much time to just hang out, what with all the homework and extra practice that Coach has been making us do. What do you say?” Liam inquired of me as he was piling his books and papers into his bag.  
“Umm...I can't on Friday...” I said without even thinking of what would happen next. Liam stopped moving abruptly and straightened up, looking at me.  
“What? You're always free on Friday nights...”  
Well, shit. Now I was screwed. I had been trying to keep this a secret, because I didn't want them to find out about my little crush on their fellow teammate. But of course, now Niall was looking curiously at me as well, and I bit my lip. No turning back now.  
“I, umm...Louis and I are hanging out on Friday...” I announced slowly, and both of their eyebrows shot up. I knew I was blushing, I could feel the heat in my cheeks, so I quickly added, “It's not a big deal, I just promised him we would and...” I trailed off hopelessly, and a hint of a smirk began to form on Niall's face.   
“Wait a minute...are you sure this isn't more than friendly?” He asked, quirking his eyebrow at me, his smirk definitely prominent.  
“Umm...n-no. Why would you think that?” I replied, trying to keep my voice even, but I was failing. My face must have been burning red, because even Liam began to smile knowingly.  
“Does little Hazza have a crush on Lou-Lou?” Niall asks again in a baby voice, and I shove him away from me.  
“Shut up, Ni.”   
“Wait, so it's true? You like Louis?” Liam asked, his eyes getting wide and a smile growing on his face. I look between the two of them. If there is anyone in the world that I can trust, it's these two, even if they are idiots sometimes.   
“Oh, fuck it. Fine. Yes, I like Louis, ok?” I grumbled, trying to get it out of the way. I plopped down on my bed, and Niall held out his hand, palm up, to Liam. Liam groaned and pulled out some money, slapping it into Niall's hand. I was appalled.  
“You two bet on me?” I gasped, although I shouldn't have been surprised. Niall laughed.  
“I told Liam that you liked Louis. It was obvious from the second you laid eyes on him. It was the same look you had when you first met-”  
“Do. Not. Say. His. Name.” I growl at him through clenched teeth. Niall clamps his mouth shut. Liam looks about to kill Niall. They of all people should know not to mention his name around me. Liam gripped my shoulder tightly.  
“Are you sure about this, Haz? I mean...last time it didn't exactly go as planned...” He said hesitantly, watching me closely. We never talked about my past with liking boys and coming to terms with my sexuality. It was a dark time and I don't want to remember it. But I just sigh and shrug him off.  
“It's not like that this time, Li. Louis is different. He cares about me, unlike some other people in this world. I'm not about to make a move on him or anything, I just...I wanted to hang out with him to make sure that what I'm feeling is real, before I try anything, yeah?”   
Liam nods approvingly, and Niall is back to his smirking Irish self.  
“You do realize that, if you do feel this way, we are never going to let it go, right?” I nodded wearily and Niall bounced into my arms. “Well, then, Harold. Let's get you prepared for this date-thingy!”  
*End of Flashback*  
I glared back at Niall, who was smirking up a storm, his blue eyes sparkling with anticipation. He had planned out every single detail of every direction this “date” could go, much to my dismay. He even wrote it all down and gave it to me. The bell rang and I sprang up from my seat, grabbing my books and hurrying towards the door. I had barely exited the classroom when I heard a loud voice from down the hall...one I did not need to hear right now.  
“Oi, Styles! Get over here, you missed our morning fun!” I don't turn around to see where Nick is, I just run for it, muttering apologies as I hurry through the crowd to my locker. Louis is standing there, waiting for me, and I breathe a shaky breath of relief as I slow myself down and try to look nonchalant. Louis looks up at me and smiled widely.  
“Hey, Harry! You almost ready?”  
“Yeah...I...just let me grab my stuff...”I said, all out of breath. As I pulled my necessary books out of my locker, Louis looked up into my face curiously.  
“You doing ok? You seem out of breath.”  
Wow, this boy worried a lot...maybe that meant something? I pushed that thought right out of my mind. Today was hanging out as friends, to determine whether or not I actually liked him. Nothing else. “No...I mean yeah, I'm fine...just, crowds. They...they get to me, that's all.” His gaze softened and he touched my arm lightly with his fingertips.  
“It's ok. You're with me. Now what do we have planned?”   
I swung my bag over my shoulder and followed him outside, shivering at the cold wind. “Umm, actually, I didn't have anything planned...I'm sorry, I should have planned something.” My mind went right to the list that was hidden inside my desk in my room.   
Not a date, Styles. Not a date...  
“Oh, that's fine. I'm sure we will find something to entertain ourselves with,” he replied brightly, and we headed up the street. It wasn't an awkward silence, but more of a comfortable one. I could literally hear my heart pounding like crazy, and I prayed he couldn't, because that would be mortifying. Eventually, we began making small talk, just asking each other general questions about one another's lives and such. We reached my house and I unlocked the front door. It was silent in the house...a usual in the afternoons. Louis looked around as I took off my shoes by the door and hung up my coat.  
“Umm, do you want some tea? There should be some left...” I offered shyly, and Louis smiled, following me into the kitchen. As I prepared the tea, Louis asked,  
“So, who do you live here with? I saw pictures out in the hallway, but I wasn't sure...”  
“It's just me and my mom here. My sister, Gemma, she went off to Uni.”  
“And your dad?”  
I swallowed hard. I never talked about my dad, not to Niall or Liam, or even my own mother. “He...he left.” I said simply, my voice sounding choked. I was not going to cry in front of Louis, not again. I already felt weak when he was near me, I didn't need to show him as well. Louis seemed to get the picture, though, because he let it drop and watched me make tea. He stood on his tiptoes and placed his chin on my shoulder, looking over it to see. I tried not to blush, considering his face was right next to mine and his fringe was tickling my neck. I finally managed to finish the tea, and I handed him a mug, heading for the stairs. He followed without question, and we entered my room.  
Niall, Liam, and I had taken the liberty of cleaning the place spotless from top to bottom. It no longer smelled of my friends' football gear, everything was in place, and you could actually use the controllers to the X-Box instead of them being in a tangled mess.   
“Wow, it's really nice...and clean in here. I didn't take you for a neat freak, Haz.” I blushed, and he hurriedly added, “Not that that's a bad thing...I actually really like it. It is such a contrast from my room at home...I'm such a slob.” He shook his head, smiling sheepishly.   
I set my tea on the side table and pulled my remote towards me. “You wanna play a game?” I offered up my second controller, and he grinned evilly.  
“Oh, Styles, you have no idea what you're in for.”

 

Louis' POV:

Two hours later, I could tell that Harry was frustrated. I don't think that he was used to being beaten so often. He finally threw his controller down in defeat. “I give up, Lou. I can't beat you.” I laughed and paused the game with the flick of a button.  
“I told you you weren't ready...I've had so much practice. Hey, now, don't be upset.” He fake pouted, sticking his bottom lip out, and I poked my cheek. “Come on, Haz...don't be a sore loser...”   
He squirmed away from me, laughing. He clapped a hand over his mouth. “S-sorry...” he mumbled, seeming embarrassed. I scooted closer to him and put my hand on his wrist, pulling his hand away from his mouth.  
“Don't be embarrassed, Harry. You have a good laugh...it's really adorable.” The side of his mouth twitched up into a smile, and that made made smile. “I knew I could make you smile...Never be embarrassed to be yourself, Haz. There are people who love you exactly for who you are...you just have to find them.”   
Wow...I was really, really close to him now. Our faces were inches apart, and he almost looked like he was going to get closer. His eyes flicked ever so briefly to my lips, and then a door downstairs slammed. Harry jumped about a foot and stood up, running a hand through his curls. I let out a breath that I didn't know I was holding in.  
“My mom's home...” Harry muttered.   
“Oh, I guess I should get home then. I didn't realize how late it is.” I could have sworn that he looked disappointed, but he nodded all the same and handed me my bag, before walking out into the hallway and down the stairs. I followed him down into the main hallway and into the dimly lit kitchen. A woman turned to face us. I could see Harry in her, with the color of the hair and the dimples.  
“Hello, Harbear! Did you have a good day, sweetie?”  
“Mum...” Harry groaned, and that's when she noticed that Harry was not alone.  
“Oh...who is this, Harry?” He pulled me into the room with a light tug on my wrist.  
“This is, umm, Louis, Mum. He's on the footie team...and new here. I just thought maybe we could hang out, you know, as friends, and...stuff.” His mom gave him a questioning look, but didn't comment on his stuttering. I held out my hand to shake hers, but she just pulled me into a tight hug. I was shocked and didn't have a chance to respond to it before she let me go.   
“It's very nice to meet you, Louis! Harry doesn't often bring new people around here...only Niall and Liam...I'm glad that he's making new friends.” I smiled at her, and looked sideways at Harry, who was scarlet with embarrassment.  
“Yeah, well, he was just leaving, so...” Harry grabbed my wrist again and led me towards the front door. “Sorry about that...she likes to, umm, find every opportunity to embarrass the shit out of me.”  
“Don't worry about it, she seems really nice.” We both just stood there for a moment, not sure of what to do. But finally, I just went for it and wrapped him in a hug. Because of our height difference, my head fit quite comfortably into his shoulder. He tensed up before wrapping his arms around me, holding me close. My heart made a funny jolting beat, and I let him go gently. “I'll see you at school, yeah?”   
“Umm, yeah. Sure. I...I had fun today. Maybe we can do it again?”   
“Definitely. Have a good night, Haz.” I waved at him and descended the steps of his porch, heading for the sidewalks. My house actually wasn't too far from his. But as I went, my palms began to sweat and my heart was beating hard and fast. I stopped for a moment at the stop light. No. This wasn't happening. I couldn't possibly be falling for Harry. My mind went back to how close we had been earlier, and then the hug, and my heart jolted again. The light changed and I ran across the street, pulling out my phone as I went. I dialed a number and clutched the phone to my ear, praying that he was still awake.  
“Hello?” A voice answered on the other end.  
“Zayn? I need to tell you something...”


	7. Chapter 7

Harry's POV:

I inwardly scolded myself for the rest of the weekend.  
How, how did I even consider that it would be OK to try and kiss Louis? I barely knew him, and yet I was positive about my feelings now. But trying to kiss him the first time we ever hung out? That was way out of my league. I was hoping he hadn't noticed, because he hadn't acted weird or anything, as far as I had noticed. Maybe I was in the clear.   
Earlier today, I had invited Niall and Liam over, and the first thing they had done when they walked through the door was ask me how it went. I had debated on telling them, but they wouldn't leave me alone until I gave them a play-by-play, so I just told them in one big rush. I told them all about how he always seemed worried about me and how he was really nice and sweet and cared about me a lot, and how I almost kissed him. Niall was positively beaming, but Liam was looking nervous, and I knew why. This was eerily similar to the situation of two years ago, and he didn't want me to get hurt again. We talked about Louis for a good hour and a half before my mom (kindly) kicked them out, insisting that she needed bonding time with her son, since it was a Sunday.  
So here I was, sitting on the couch with my mom, watching a sappy movie. Living in a house of girls for most of my life had gotten me to enjoy the sad lovey-dovey movies that girls swooned over. Or maybe that was because I was gay...one of the two, or maybe both. As the movie came to a close, my mom yawned and turned the TV off, turning to me. Shit. She had that look on her face. I mentally prepared myself as she opened her mouth to speak.  
“So, Harry...is Louis a good friend of yours, like a really good friend?” I gulped but kept my face as neutral as I could.  
“Yeah, he is, I guess. Niall and Liam introduced him to me, and he's really nice, and he cares about other people...and he's really attractive...” I added that last bit in a quiet undertone, but I knew she heard me. Her face lit up a little.  
“So...you like him?” I knew exactly what she was implying, and I couldn't lie to my own mother. So I just looked down at the floor and nodded. “Oh, Harry, that's wonderful. Does he like you too?”  
“Mum! I...I don't know. I mean, he's only known me a week, and I don't even know if he swings that way. I'm not getting my hopes up.” She gave me a kind smile and stroked my cheek.  
“If he doesn't like you, than it's not worth it. You're a beautiful boy...you're my beautiful boy.” I blushed, but leaned into her touch. It was quite good to know that she cared about me so much, so that if I ever lost Niall, or Liam, or even Louis now, she would be there for me.  
“Thanks, mum. It's late...better get to bed.” She nodded and pecked my forehead before going into the kitchen. I headed up to my room and stripped down to my boxers, crawling under the covers. I tried to sleep, but all I could think about was Louis, with his bright blue eyes and perfect caramel hair, and how good he looked in a football uniform when he was all sweaty, the material sticking to his fit body...I felt myself go hard and I face-palmed. Fuck. Well, now I had to take care of that issue. I wasn't going to get any sleep. 

Louis' POV:

I was in crisis mode. I hadn't been able to talk to Zayn since I had called him Friday night, confessing to him that I might have feelings for Harry. He had been half asleep when he had picked up, so I'm not even sure if he had gotten half of what I said. Understandable, since I had been babbling like an idiot. I had come to terms with the fact that I had a definite interest in boys, however, I wasn't out to anyone. Well, except Zayn, of course. Zayn and I had grown strangely close since we had met on Monday of last week. Since I had to drive him home almost every day, we had gotten to know each other, and I trusted him more than I had ever trusted my other friends back in Doncaster. So yeah, he knew about my...curiosity in dating boys. But he had been busy all weekend, and I had to sit in my room, trying to deal with the feelings I was having.  
And now it was Monday morning, and I had to go to school, where Harry was. I didn't know what to do. I had never felt this way before, ever, and when I liked a person, I tended to act like an idiot. But I couldn't let him know. It's not like he liked me back or anything, even if there was that small moment on Friday when it seemed like...  
No, Louis. It wasn't like that. Get a grip.   
I composed myself as I got in my car and stopped in front of Zayn's house. He hurried out the door, calling a farewell to someone beyond the door before sprinting down the front lawn and diving into the car.  
“Sorry I'm late, Lou, just got caught up.” He panted, and I merely nodded. I didn't trust myself to speak, for fear that I would just start rambling about Harry. Zayn eyed me and added quietly, “Do you want to talk about it?” I shook my head, biting down hard on my lip. I did want to talk about it, I needed to, but I didn't want to be a bother. “Lou...you have to let it out...you know what your mom said about that...” Zayn warned me, and I rolled my eyes. My mother and Zayn had had some very deep conversations about my past and how I needed to not bottle up my feelings.   
“OK, fine. I went to hang out with Harry, cause he asked me to and I didn't want to say no, he just looked so horrible and sad that day, so I went. And it was fun and he made me tea, and we played video games. And he was sitting so close to me, and I just noticed how his curls fall right into his green eyes and then we were really really close and I was telling him not to be embarrassed about himself and I swear he was going to kiss me and I wanted him to, and that scared the shit out of me, and I don't know what to do!” It all came out in one bit rush, and Zayn just stared at me for a minute or two, blinking.  
“Umm...wow, Lou. You've got it bad for Harry, don't you?” I nodded miserably.  
“But I doubt he likes me like that. He wouldn't go for a guy like me anyway. We're too different.”  
“You're not as different as you think...” Zayn whispered, but before I had a chance to ask him what he meant, we were at school, and he leaped out of the car, calling out that he would see me at the usual time in the usual place. I groaned and parked the car. People were piling into the school, so I hoped that I wouldn't have to face Harry quite yet. Oh how wrong I was.  
I hurried up the steps and headed to my locker, but a couple was snogging each other's brains out in front of it, so I just stood there, tapping my foot impatiently, until they finally noticed and moved on. I couldn't help grumbling as the bell rang. I was late yet again. Coach was not going to be happy with me, but I didn't give much thought to that. The halls emptied quickly until I was the only one left in my hallway. My first class was music, and the teacher wasn't too harsh on punctuality, so maybe I could get away from it. As I made my way to the next hallway, I heard a vaguely familiar voice shouting, and they were using quite harsh words.  
“Just stay away from him, you fag! I don't need you turning him gay like you tried to turn-”  
“Stop...please stop...” another voice whimpered. I knew that voice. That was Harry. I froze, listening for more. There was a crash and a squeak of pain, and I took off running down the hallway, skidding around the corner. No one was in the hallway except for a crumpled, curly headed figure near to the doors of the music wing. I ran towards Harry, dropping my bag on the floor and kneeling down beside him. He was curled in a tight ball, shaking uncontrollably. Without giving any thought towards my recently developing feelings for him, I pulled him into my arms.  
“Haz...hey, it's me. Look at me, love.” I didn't know where the love came from, but it seemed to work, because he looked up at me. I held back a gasp. “Oh, Harry...”  
His right eye was sporting a large growing bruise, and his lip was completely busted. His green eyes looked fragile and his cheeks were streaked with tears.  
“Harry, what happened?” I asked calmly, touching his eye lightly. He flinched and opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. His breathing just sped up, and he started shaking more violently. Oh god, what was happening? I ran through a mental list that my mom had engrained into my brain since birth of symptoms. I settled on one possibility. Panic attack.  
“Haz, listen to me. You're OK. I need you to breathe for me, come on. You can do it.”   
“I-I can't...I can't do it...Lou, please...” He wheezed, tears leaking from his eyes. He was terrified. I had never done this before, I had no clue what I was doing, and there was no one around to help. I took Harry's hand in mine and held it tightly.   
“Harry, yes you can. I'm right here. Just...squeeze my hand and breathe with me. Come on, love, it's going to be OK.” I held him close to me and stroked his curls. I didn't know what I was doing, but it seemed to be working. Harry was taking in choppy breaths, but they were getting easier, and he had stopped crying. After a while he wasn't shaking so much anymore, and his breathing was even.  
“Hey, Haz. You...do you want to talk about it?” He shook his head, curls flopping everywhere and fresh tears brimming in his eyes. “OK, OK, we don't have to. It's ok. I'm right here. Just relax.” I pressed my lips gently to his forehead and held him in my arms. I felt butterflies erupt in my stomach as I realized what this was like. I was almost cuddling my crush in the middle of a school hallway. I could feel his breath on the bare skin of my neck and my hair was standing on end. But I pushed those thoughts away and waited until he looked up at me.   
“T-take me home? Please?” He croaked out, pleading with me. I nodded and helped him stand up. He seemed to be able to walk fine, which was a relief, cause he was heavy as hell. I picked up my bag and went over to him, holding onto his arm and guiding him towards the exit. He didn't say a word as we walked to the parking lot and got in the car, and I kept glancing at him in worry. But as I started the car, he finally spoke in a quiet, husky voice.  
“I'm sorry, Lou.”   
“Sorry? You have nothing to be sorry for! Whoever did this to you is to blame!” He whimpered at the mention, and I grabbed his hand out of reflex. “Shhh, I'm sorry, it's OK. We don't have to talk about it, yeah?” He squeezed my hand, trembling only slightly. In under five minutes I was parked in front of his house. I got out and opened his door. He got out, his head hanging low in embarrassment. I stopped him from walking away and lifted his chin with my fingers.   
“It's OK, you don't need to be embarrassed. Anyone in your position wouldn't have handled it half as well as you did. Come on, let's get you inside. And I'll call your mum, yeah?” He nodded glumly and I led him to his door, taking his key from his hand and unlocking it myself. He headed up to his room while I grabbed the house phone and looked for his mum's number. I dialed quickly once I found it, and she answered with a bright, “Hello, this is Anne Cox speaking, how can I help you?”  
“Hello, Mrs. Cox, this is Louis Tomlinson.”  
“Hello, dear! What are you doing calling me in the middle of the school day? Is everything alright?”  
“Umm, well no. Harry, he...He got beat up, or attacked or something, and he had a panic attack in school. I brought him home, he asked me to. I just thought I should let you know. I would stay with him myself, but I have to be in school, football doesn't allow me to miss much.”  
“I'm so sorry! I'll be home right away. It's only a ten minute drive. Thank you so much, Louis.”   
She hung up and I smiled wearily. At least Harry had her to fall back on. I hurried up the stairs to Harry's room, just to see him curled on the bed, crying again. I sat down next to him and he curled into me, clutching onto my shirt. I put my arm protectively around him and let him cry, whispering soothing words to him until he had calmed down once more.  
“Lou...you shouldn't be here...You'll get in trouble with Coach,” Harry sniffed quietly, letting me go.  
“I'm going back to school soon. I'm just waiting for your mum.”  
“I'm sorry that you have to deal with me...I'm a screw up, I know.”  
“Don't put yourself down, Haz. I care about you, that is why I'm here.” He looked up at me, his eyes wide. God he looked like a little lost puppy...so cute.  
“You care about me?” I swallowed hard.  
More than you know...  
“Of course I do. We are friends, that's what a good friend does.” He nodded and closed his eyes, laying his head back on the pillow. I heard the downstairs door open and close, and a voice calling for us. “Your mum is here, Harry. I'm going to go. Be strong, love.” I let myself twirl one of his curls gently before getting up to leave. I met Anne halfway on the steps.  
“How's he doing?”  
“He's in his bedroom. I think he's OK now...Thank you for coming, Mrs. Cox. I honestly was scared out of my mind.” She smiled graciously at me.   
“Oh, Louis, honey, call me Anne, please. And thank you for taking care of my son. He cares a lot for your friendship, even if it has been short.” I nodded and bid her farewell, heading back to my car. 

Later at practice, Liam and Niall came up to me, asking about Harry. I told them exactly what had happened, and they were furious.  
“Someone's going to pay for that...” Liam snarled, clenching his fists.  
“No one messes with our Hazza.” Niall agreed, glaring.   
“I just wish I had caught them, but by the time I got there, the culprits were gone. I only heard them speak a few words, and the voice was so familiar...if only I could place it...” I mused, and then the whistle blew. The coach called us all in and started giving notes about the game tomorrow night. I listened vaguely, my mind still on Harry, until a voice interrupted my thoughts. It was the same voice I had heard in the hallway. I clapped a hand over my mouth as I recognized the speaker, and as practice ended, I pulled Niall and Liam aside.  
“I know who it was.”


	8. Chapter 8

Harry's POV:

I didn't get out of bed for the rest of the day. My mom came in to check on me several times, but I told her I was fine and she didn't push me. I was grateful for that. I did allow her to clean up the blood on my face, and even though I knew that she had questions, she didn't ask anything of me. It was a good thing, because I couldn't focus on anything else besides Louis.  
I had no idea what to think. He hadn't hesitated in helping me, even thought it was clear that he didn't have a clue what he was doing. I felt completely embarrassed for having a panic attack in front of him, but I couldn't control it this time. Nick had told me to stay away from him. And that was something I just couldn't do. I liked Louis too much. He made me happy, happier than I had been in a long time, and I didn't want to go back to being depressed every other day. But Nick apparently thought I was going to 'turn Louis gay.' According to him, I had already tried to do that once, which wasn't true, but it still hurt to hear him talk about the past like that. I couldn't handle it.  
But Louis...just...he was perfect. He let me cry on him and he held me like we had known each other for years, instead of just a week. If that wasn't true friendship right there, I didn't know what was.  
I suddenly sat up, breaking into a cold sweat. Had Louis heard what Nick had said to me? He probably had, considering how fast he had gotten to me after Nick and his gang had disappeared. God. He knew I was gay...and now he would leave me. That's why he had been so awkward about helping me. He hated me, just like everyone else. I tried to keep my breathing controlled as I picked up my phone and sent a quick text. I needed someone, even if it was pretty late at night. I couldn't just bottle all of this up.  
Ten minutes later there was a knock on my bedroom door, and I got up slowly to open it.  
“Hey, Haz...you doing ok?” Liam said as he and Niall entered my room. I just shrugged and closed the door behind them. I sat down on my bed and they stood there, watching me warily. And then it all just hit me, and tears welled up in my eyes.  
“No, don't...don't cry, it's ok.” Niall sat down next to me and wrapped his arm around me. I placed my head gently on his shoulder and sniffed. I had done enough crying for one day. I had to stop. “That's right...you gonna tell us what happened?”  
This was what I had been dreading. I had known they would ask, and I just couldn't make myself tell them the truth. So I settled for half the truth.  
“I...it just happened...I got triggered about the past and I just collapsed, and Louis found me. He h-helped me and got me home and...just took care of me. He got me through an attack. But...h-he knows I'm gay...he's going to hate me.” A couple tears made their way onto my cheeks, and Liam wiped them away quickly.  
“Louis would never hate you for something like that...he's not like the others. Don't think like that. If you really are worried, just talk to him, I'm sure he will understand.”  
I sighed and leaned into the both of them. “I'm so glad I have you guys...I don't know what I would do if you hadn't stuck by me. Probably wouldn't even be here right now.”  
Both of them were silent, just hugging me and comforting me as best they could. My mom entered at that moment and asked them if they wanted to spend the night.  
“Umm, actually I have to get home...my mom needs me to help her clean up and...stuff.” Niall said, a little too quickly. Liam nodded.  
“Same kind of deal here, Anne. But thanks. Feel better, Haz. See you tomorrow, yeah?” I nodded and watched them go. My mom turned kindly back to me and offered me a cup of tea. I took it with a nod of thanks, and she turned off the large light in my room, leaving only the lamp on. I sipped my tea, despite it being hot as hell, and fell asleep shortly after that.

The next morning, I made sure to get up super early. There was no way I was being late today. Yesterday was hard enough, and I didn't want another incident. I had to go to school, or my mom wouldn't let me go to the game. It was the first game of the season, against our second biggest rival, and I had to be there to cheer on Niall and Liam, and Louis too.  
Entering school was weird. A lot of kids were looking at me weird, and I figured that word had gotten out about my panic attack. That, and I was pretty sure my eyes were still a little red from all the crying I had done. I reached my locker without major incident, and breathed a sigh of relief as Niall, Liam, and Louis came up to my locker to greet me. I looked at the floor, not wanting to make eye contact with Louis.  
“Hey! You're coming to the game tonight, right?” Louis asked me brightly, and I looked up. Bad choice...his blue eyes were looking directly into mine. I nodded meekly and Louis grinned from ear to ear. “Good stuff, mate. Can't wait to have my own personal cheerleader.” I blushed and smiled a little, before closing my locker and gathering up my books.  
“Umm, yeah, better get to class...I'll see you guys later.” I walked quickly down the hallway, leaving the three of them standing there, looking after me.  
God, Harry, you're so awkward...

 

Louis' POV:

I watched as Harry walked off, his head down slightly and a hunch in his shoulders. His eyes had been bloodshot, and it hurt my heart to see that. I turned to Liam and Niall quickly, and Niall answered my unasked question.  
“He kind of told us. I mean, he said he was triggered, and that he had a panic attack, but he didn't tell us that there was anyone involved other than you.”  
“Personally, I think he's scared to admit it to us. What with his history with Nick, and being a nice person, he doesn't want us to be focused on him. He wants us to focus on football. He hates having people pity him. So maybe we should just wait until he feels comfortable enough to tell us.”  
“I agree...wait, what history?” I asked, curiously. Liam looked at Niall uncomfortably, and then said slowly,  
“Umm, it's not exactly my place to tell. It's a long story, but basically him and Nick used to get along, and then, it just all fell apart. We knew they weren't on good terms, which is only to be expected, but...we didn't know about this part of it. He hid it well.”  
The three of us were silent for a bit, and then the warning bell rang loud and shrilly in our ears. We all jumped, said hurried goodbyes, and walked off to class. I couldn't stop wondering though: What had happened between Harry and Nick that had caused all this in the first place?

Today, I actually went to the cafeteria. I normally didn't, but I had forgotten my lunch and I needed food. As I wandered through the line, I hummed a tune softly. One of my favorite pieces. I started heading for the football table, but then noticed Harry walking quickly out of the cafeteria, a small container of food in his hand. It took me all of a second to decide to follow him. He walked so freaking fast, what with those long legs of his. I would be lying if I said I wasn't admiring him from afar. He was so fit. He turned a corner and headed down towards the music wing. My eyebrows knitted as I continued to follow him. What would he be doing in the music hallway? As far as I knew, he didn't have any music classes.  
By the time I had reached the music wing, he had disappeared. I groaned, having followed him for nothing. I sat down against the wall and started eating my lunch. No point going back downstairs now. It was a second before I heard it. Faint, but absolutely gorgeous singing, coming from down at the end of the hall. I stood up, brushing off my pants, and walked slowly towards the sound. The voice was low and resonating, a male voice, and the song he were singing was so sad, it brought tears to my eyes.  
Don't let me,  
Don't let me,  
Don't let me go,  
Cause I'm tired of feeling alone...  
I stopped outside the door and just listened as he finished the song and there was a moment of silence. I didn't move until the door swung open abruptly, and I jumped about three feet.  
“Oh, fuck, I'm so...Louis?”  
“Harry?” I questioned, staring at him in astonishment. “Was...was that you...you know, singing?” He blushed bright red and bit down on his lip, nodding slightly. God, when he bit his lip...the things this boy did to me... “It was beautiful. Your voice is amazing!”  
“M'not good. Just like to sing sometimes. Helps me cope with my emotions.” He seemed highly embarrassed, and would not look at me at all.  
“Haz, remember what I told you, don't be embarrassed to be yourself. You're an amazing person, and anyone who doesn't think so is a prick, alright? I don't lie, and if I say you have a beautiful voice, then it's the truth.” It came out harsher than I wanted it to, and I could see it in his face, so I compensated by resting my hand on his forearm. “I mean it. Don't doubt your abilities.”  
He finally looked up at me and smiled a little, his dimples popping out. The boy had dimples. Oh lord in heaven...  
“Thanks Lou. Means a lot.”  
“Sure, love. What were you doing up here anyway? You don't have music classes, do you?” He shook his head and blushed. Shit, I had called him love again. But I didn't mind how flustered he got. It was cute.  
“I, umm...actually, I came up here because...never mind, it's embarrassing.”  
“No, now you have to tell me, come on!” I begged, pushing out my bottom lip. He smirked.  
“There's someone who is up here some days. They play piano, the most beautiful and rich pieces. Their emotion is just so strong, and I love listening to them. I've never seen them before, I don't want them to know that I'm here, but I fell in love with the music the first time I heard it.” His face softened when he said this, and he looked almost completely happy. I smiled, but inside I felt crushed. He liked someone else. Of course he did. Why hadn't I guessed?  
“Good for you, Haz. I bet they are a wonderful person, and I hope you guys meet some day.” He smiled more, the dimples coming back.  
“What were you doing up here, then? Surely you're not a mysterious singer too...”  
“Oh, no. I always eat lunch up here. With Zayn. He doesn't like the cafeteria much.” I said quickly. That was close. He had almost gotten it out of me...what I do during lunch. No one could know about that.  
“Oh, ok. Well, I guess I'll go. See you at the game tonight?”  
“Yeah, definitely. Later.” I replied, and he left back the way we had come. I watched him go, warning myself to be more careful next time.

Harry's POV:

I could not stop smiling for the rest of the day. Louis thought I had a nice voice. I had never sung in front of anyone, except for Niall and Liam of course, but as my best friends they were obligated to say that I sounded good. I didn't get too many compliments these days, so the ones I got held special meaning.   
Niall and Liam didn't have practice after school due to the game, so they dragged all of their stuff over to my house and we lounged around for a few hours. Of course I was still on cloud nine about Louis, and they knew it. So they teased me mercilessly for the entire afternoon, so much that I ended up throwing pillows at them and starting a huge pillow fight. By the end of it we were all laying breathless on the floor, and I was grinning from ear to ear. It was like all of my troubles had taken a vacation. I knew they would be back, but for now...I felt so free and happy, like I used to feel all the time.  
“BOYS!!!! DO YOU WANT DINNER NOW OR AFTER THE GAME?” My mom hollered from downstairs. We looked at each other, shrugged, and called back down the stairs, “AFTER!” Then Liam and Niall hauled themselves to their feet and started getting dressed. I grabbed my bad and shove a book and my phone in it, just in case there were long time outs.   
Within the next ten minutes, we were ready. Niall and Liam were silent, nervously bouncing on the balls of their feet, twisting their jerseys. I understood. The last time they had played this team, almost half the team had been out with injuries. Our second biggest rivals were ruthless footie players, and always managed to get off with no penalties for injuring our players.  
“Guys, it's going to be fine. I'm sure the refs will be better than last year, yeah?” I said, trying to cheer them up. They looked at me, stony faced, and I just clamped my mouth shut. We didn't speak for the entire car ride, except for my mom, who told me to call when we were headed back to the house. She was ordering pizza for us after the game, since we always celebrated, whether we won or lost.  
I walked with them to the field and settled in my usual spot right behind the bench. The stands were already packed to bursting point, and there was barely any standing room. Everyone turned out for the games, even if they weren't big fans of football. I kept to myself, not liking the size of the crowd. I had never liked crowds too much, but now I despised them. They made me nervous, like everyone was watching and commenting on me. Niall and Liam ran to join Louis and Zayn, who were standing on the outside of the huddle, listening to coach. I could see the other team huddled by their goal. Their coach was gesticulating wildly with his hands, and I could just tell by the looks on their faces that our team was in for it tonight. Despite having half the team down last year, we had beaten them 6-5 in a last minute shot by Josh. I had a feeling they would be going straight for him.  
The whistle blew, the team did their chant, and the starters ran out onto the field to get into position. I could see Niall running his fingers through his hair nervously as he paced back and forth in front of the goal. Liam's face was set, but he was scared. His body language betrayed him. Louis was bouncing, just like last time, but he seemed a little nervous, tugging on the bottom of his jersey in a really cute way. The ref put the whistle to his lips, and all of the team crouched a little in synch, and then they were off. Louis shot past the forwards on the other team, traveling into enemy territory. Josh had the ball, but was being surrounded by the other team. He took a chance and did something fancy with his feet, getting the ball out of the ring of players to Nick, who immediately passed it to Louis. Louis took off down the field, the ball gliding smoothly...  
“OOOOOOHHH!”  
The crowd was on its feet, including myself. One of the defenders had slide tackled Louis, and they had hit the ground in a heap. The whistle didn't blow, however, and the game kept going, despite the protests and yells of 'foul' from our spectators. I watched, terrified, as Louis got up on all fours, sat there for a moment, and then stood up. The crowd clapped appreciatively and went back to watching the rest of the game, where the tallest member of the other team was trying to get past Liam. Liam was not having it, his jaw clenched and his arms spread. The player tried to kick it between Liam's feet, but Liam caught it between his ankles and popped it up into the air, bouncing it back towards Niall, who picked up, smirking at the other forwards who had surged for the goal, thinking they could score. Liam smiled, and that was his mistake. As Niall prepared to kick the ball back into play, one of the forwards came behind Liam and put his foot between Liam's, and as soon as Liam went to run, he tripped and went down. The forward's foot twisted just enough to weigh down heavily on Liam's ankle, and I swear I heard a snap from the sidelines. Liam howled and the whistle was blown.  
Louis and Niall were running for Liam, who was on the ground, clutching his ankle. His face was pale. They got him up and helped him to the side of the field. I couldn't sit still, so I got up and hurried to the bench, trying hard to ignore a sweaty and very hot Louis running back out to the field. The medic, who knew me pretty well, tossed me ice, a bandage, and wood for a splint, just in case.  
“Liam, god...I'm so sorry...” I mumbled, helping him get his leg up on the bench.   
“It's not your fault, Haz...shit...” He gasped as I went to untie his cleat. His forehead was beaded with sweat, and his face was a nasty grey color. I shushed him kindly and took his shoe off carefully. His ankle didn't look broken, but that meant nothing. My mom had taught me a lot, what with her working as a nurse.   
“Li, I need you to hold onto something...I have to take off the sock too...” I said, keeping my voice calm and even. He nodded and clenched onto the bench as I peeled the sock down. A spew of curse words left him as I got the sock off his foot, and started examining it. His ankle was swollen and bruising fast, but the bone seemed, to the eye, to be intact. I felt it gingerly, earning more swearing from Liam, and then I wrapped and splinted it, handing him the ice. “It's just bruising from what I can see, maybe a small sprain. You should be fine.”   
“Thank you...” Liam said through clenched teeth, watching the game with a glare. “I knew this would happen. I should have been more careful.”  
“Don't beat yourself up, it's all going to be...holy shit!” I yelled as Josh was slide tackled as the whistle sounded for the half. He landed hard on his arm and did not get up. Louis and Nick both rushed up to him, kneeling down to talk to him. Nick looked concerned, probably the only time I've ever seen that expression on his face before, and Louis looked pissed. The paramedics came this time, wheeling him off on a gurney. Coach was getting quite flustered, and he looked around frantically. Our team came running over to the sidelines. Niall came right over to Liam, looking terrified..  
“Liam, oh fuck, are you OK?”  
“Fine, Ni, other than having my ankle splinted, I'm alright. No need for concern.” That obviously didn't help Niall at all, but Liam just shrugged.   
“Damn. Josh was our only replacement forward...what are we going to do now?” Nick asked Coach. Coach threw his hands up in the air in defeat, looking off after Josh, who was long gone, and then at Liam. And then his eyes settled on me, and he pushed through the players, stopping directly in front of me.  
“Styles, you're in.”


	9. Chapter 9

Harry's POV:

I stared up at him like he had lost his mind.  
“E-excuse me, sir?”  
“You heard me, Styles. Get off the bench. You're in for Josh.” I gaped at him.  
“Coach...I'm not on the team anymore...you know that, right?” He huffed at me like I was being the stupid one here.   
“Yes, I'm aware of that. But we don't have a replacement forward, and you were the best one we ever had. We need you.” That's when Nick came into the conversation.  
“Coach, you can't play him! Don't you remember what he-” He began, and I cringed inwardly, and probably outwardly as well.  
Here it comes...secret's out...  
“You leave Harry the hell alone, do you understand...FUCK!” Liam snarled, starting to stand up, but losing all color in his face and being forced back down by Niall.  
“Grimshaw, I suggest you shut up, before I keep you off the field for the season. Harry is in. He's playing forward, and you better damn well accept it.” I just stared at them, opened mouthed. Did he really just...  
“C-coach...I don't have any gear. No shorts or cleats or anything.” I stuttered.   
“I have some he can use,” called a guy from the back of the crowd. Shorts and socks and cleats came soaring over the heads of the team and landed at my feet. I shook my head. There was no way I could do this...I hadn't played in two years. Not on a team, anyway. And I didn't even have a jersey. Then Coach did the strangest thing. He smiled, and walked over to his stuff, rummaging around in his bag. He finally pulled out a jersey and came back over to me.  
“I always hoped you might come back to the team one day, Styles. I bring this to every game, just in case. And for good luck. Here. You've earned it.” He pressed the silky material into my hands, and I opened it slowly. Sure enough, it was my old jersey, still in perfect condition. Nick was scowling, his arms crossed, but Niall, Liam, and Louis were all smiling broadly at me. I hesitated for a second more, and then held out my hand to Coach, who shook it.   
“Better get dressed, Styles. We have five minutes till play.” I nodded, grabbed all the clothes, and rushed off towards the bathroom. I stripped down to my boxers and shivered. It was absolutely freezing tonight and I had no compression clothes. Oh well. I pulled on the shorts, which were a bit small on me, but whatever, and tied up my cleats. I slipped the jersey over my head of messy curls and turned to look in the mirror. I felt...different...alive.  
It was game time. 

I dashed back out to the field, dumping my clothes with Liam. He gripped my elbow and smiled at me.  
“Good luck out there, Haz.” I nodded and made my way to the huddle. I ended up next to Nick, who glared at me and grumbled something about fags under his breath. I bit hard on the inside of my cheek. Now was not the time to be getting upset over something that happened two years ago. I had to forget about that, just for one night, and play this game right. As we broke the huddle and headed onto the field, Louis trotted up next to me.  
“Don't worry about Nick. I won't let him hurt you.” He said with a small smile before heading off to his place at right forward. I didn't even have the time to register the fact that he knew about Nick and I hadn't told him anything, before the warning whistle was sounded, and I had to take my place at center forward. As I looked at the ball, and at the other team facing me, suddenly all noise from around me was gone. I was in my element. Back where I belonged. I glanced from my right, where Louis was, to my left, where Nick was. I ignored his grimace and gave a signal as the whistle was blown, and then I was off. My long legs, while making me clumsy at most times, actually worked to my advantage. I stole the ball swiftly from the other team and made my way up the field, keeping my eyes on my left and right constantly. Nick was open, so I faked a pass to Louis and kicked it off to my left. Nick got it and tore up the field, passing cross field to Louis. I ran right up to the goal and Louis passed it to me just in time, for a defender had come out of nowhere and missed the ball by inches. I slammed my foot into the ball and it soared into the net.   
That's when all sound came back, and the cheers of the crowd were deafening. Louis clapped me on the shoulder as we headed back up the field towards our side, and I could see the new members of the team staring at me in awe. I grinned like a maniac. This was what life was supposed to feel like.   
The score flashed on the screen: 2-0 Cheshire. I could see the menacing glares coming from every member of the other team, and the smile slipped off my face. We were done for now.  
“Guys, watch out for them. If they try to hurt you just get out of the way. We don't need any more injuries tonight.” I called back to the team. Even though I wasn't the captain, every single person, with the exception of Nick, nodded and set their faces, ready to face the other team. I turned around and smirked at the other team. This was gonna be good.

As I had predicted, the other team played without mercy. We lost another member, coincidentally the other defender, to a concussion, but we didn't let it phase us. The crowd would not stop screaming. If anything, it kept getting louder, and I almost relished it. It was a strange but wonderful feeling to me, being on the field. I had almost forgotten the rush of adrenaline and happiness that came with playing footie. Why did I ever quit?  
The score was now tied up at 5-5. The other team had made use of our weaker than usual defense and managed to get past Niall. I could tell that Niall was getting frustrated by the way his eyebrows were knitted and his lip was bitten red. I looked nervously up at the clock. We had 47 seconds left in this game.   
I signaled for a time out, and the whistle blew. The team huddled around me, and I waited for the captain to say something. When he didn't speak and looked at me, I realized he expected me to lead them. I gulped and forced down my fear.  
“Ok, guys. Basically, this is it. Keep them away from the goal, and let me, Louis, and Nick do our thing. We can score one more goal in 47 seconds, right?” They all nodded, and I put my hand in. Louis' hand was the first in on top of mine, making my cheeks flush. I was glad that my cheeks were already red with cold, so it wasn't noticeable. Next was Niall, and then the rest of the team, even Nick, who touched the top of the pile of hands gingerly and with two fingers, as though he might catch a disease. It made my throat close up a little bit, but I ignored it as best I could. Niall shot me a look of apology and then a grin. We counted off and scattered back to our positions. As soon as the whistle made the tiniest audible noise, I moved faster than I thought possible, grabbing the ball with my toes and passing it to Louis. Louis kept going, up the side of the field, but I could see a trap. All members of the team, even the goalie, were converging on him, ready to block him. A wave of pure hatred rolled through me. No one messed with Louis on my watch.  
“LOUIS, BACK!” I bellowed across the field, and without even looking behind him, he kicked it back to me. The goalie tried running for the goal, but my leg was already in motion, swinging back. My foot connected with the ball and it hit the back of the net as the buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the game. The crowd went ballistic, screaming and jumping up and down and blowing noise makers. I just stood there, panting, completely in shock. We won. We actually won, and I was playing. I had scored.  
I was hit by a multitude of bodies as the entire team slammed into me, taking me to the ground in a tangle of sweaty limbs. Niall was pumping his fist in the air, screaming, “YES YES TAKE THAT, YOU BASTARDS! STYLES IS BACK, BITCHES!” I laughed and pushed the Irish lad off me, climbing to my feet. I was immediately assaulted by Louis, who jumped on my back and squeezed me tight. I spun around a few times in confusion before he jumped off, grinning so wide, I swear his face was going to explode.   
“Well done out there, Haz. You really know how to run a team.” I immediately blushed scarlet and mumbled,  
“M'not that good. Just did what I thought was right.”   
“What, you just won us a game when you haven't played footie in two years, and now you choose to get all shy on me?” Louis taunted, poking my sides. I flinched away, trying not to giggle. I was extremely ticklish.   
The whole team, with the exception of Nick, escorted me off the field to where Liam was sitting, beaming and also looking frustrated that he couldn't stand yet.  
“Harry, that was bloody brilliant! You were amazing out there!” I looked down with a small smile. I really had done a decent job. I had worked with a team, even though only two people on the team had ever played with me before, and of those two, one of them hated me with all his guts. But I had managed it.  
“Styles, well done!” Coach boomed, clapping me hard on the shoulder. I smiled sheepishly as he gripped my shoulder tightly. “I want to offer you a permanent spot back on the team, if you'll take it.” My mouth dropped open. Was he serious? After all the drama and shit me being on the team in the first place had caused? I looked at Coach, and behind him, I could see Nick scowling as he watched me. That was what made my final decision.  
“Yeah. I'll take the spot.”  
“Excellent, really excellent. Maybe I can finally get rid of Grimshaw. He's a huge pain in my ass.” I let out a loud laugh and clapped my hand over my mouth. Liam and Niall were trying not to laugh at me, Liam supported on Niall's shoulder as Niall helped him walk on one foot.   
“Come on, your mom is waiting for us. Pizza it is!” Niall yelled, and Liam winced at the blonde's loud voice in his ear.  
“Yeah, definitely. Louis, you wanna come too?” My eyebrows shot up and I turned to Louis. He grinned and nodded, and then I looked back at Liam in a panic. Louis in my house? In my room? All sweaty and stuff? What was he trying to do, kill me? But Liam merely smiled cheekily at me, and I rolled my eyes. I couldn't be mad at an injured person.  
“Alright. Let's get going!”

 

Niall, Louis, Liam were super rowdy on the way home, considering that Niall was practically carrying Liam, but he didn't seem to mind at all. They were laughing and talking loudly about the game and how happy they were for me to be back on the team. I stayed back a little, thinking things over. I was glad we had won, and boy was my mom going to have a surprise when I walked in the house in short shorts and my footie jersey. But it wasn't that that was bothering me.   
Louis had said not to worry about Nick, that he would protect me, or something like that. But how had he known? I had never mentioned a word to him, and as far as I knew, Liam and Niall had no clue what went on outside of football practice between me and Nick. So how had he known.  
Apparently Louis had a sixth sense, or maybe it just pertained to me, but he slowed up to walk with me behind Liam and Niall.  
“Hey, you doing OK?” I nodded, but he wasn't having it this time. “Come on, don't lie to me. Something's on your mind. Talk to me.”  
“Lou, how could you possibly know when I'm lying? We've known each other for what, a week?”  
“Well, for one, you just told me...” I scowled at him. “But, because I know how to read people. People close to me are always easy to read.” I was glad of the cover of darkness, because I was sure that my face was bright red. God, I had it bad. Louis moved closer to me and bumped hips with me, the backs of our hands grazing against one another. “I'm really proud of you, Haz. I've never seen you take charge like that, it was amazing.”  
“Thanks, Lou.” I mumbled, trying to hide my smile at the compliment. But then I remembered what he was waiting for. “Umm, about me not being OK...umm...can we talk about it later? We're here.” Louis looked up at my house, and then nodded at me before going to help Niall get Liam to the door. Niall was practically collapsing from carrying Liam's weight all the way from school.   
We piled through the front door to the smell of pizza and we all groaned, realizing how hungry we were.   
“Well, well, look who's ho-why, hello, Louis! It's wonderful to see you. Harry didn't tell me you were coming.” My mum said, and Louis grinned.  
“He just invited me. Sorry to intrude.”  
“Oh no no, dear, plenty of food, trust me.” Her eyes landed on Liam and she gasped. “Liam, what happened?”  
“He just had a small accident on the field. It's all good though, I patched him up myself.” I replied, trying to act casual as her eyes shifted to me. They widened as she took in my appearance, and she put a hand to her mouth. “No...”  
“Anne, you won't believe it. Our other forward, Josh, broke his arm and Coach put Harry in for him. And he was amazing, bringing the team together and scoring twice. And now he has a permanent spot on the team again!” Niall said joyously, grinning from ear to ear and helping Liam into a chair. My mum's eyes filled with tears and she pulled me into a tight hug.   
“Harry, I'm so proud of you. I never thought I'd see you in that jersey again...my boy is growing up...”  
“Mum, not now...” I groaned, and she laughed quietly, pulling away and wiping away a tear or two from her cheeks.   
“Oh, I see. Want to impress...OK, OK. Eat up boys, I don't want leftovers.” She ordered, giving me a secret smile, and she departed from the room. I grabbed the boxes and handed them to Niall, before scooping up Liam in my arms and carrying him up the stairs. Louis followed all of us as we entered my bedroom, and as I turned to put Liam on the bed, I could have sworn I saw Louis checking me out. I straightened up quickly and he looked at the floor. I chewed on the inside of my cheek nervously. Had I seen what I thought I had seen? No. Louis didn't like me like that...he wasn't even gay. Right. Got it.


	10. Chapter 10

Harry's POV:

Turns out we were hungrier than we thought, because all four pizzas were polished off in under 30 minutes. Guess that's what you get when you put pizza and four hungry teenage boys in a room together. All we could talk about was the game, and how amazing it had been. Niall and Liam kept bringing up how perfect it was that I was back on the team, and I smiled and went with it, but inside I was terrified. Sure, I loved football. It had been my life for a long time. But now I had to play with Nick after what had happened, and it was scary. It was clear he didn't want me on the team, which was quite understandable, but I was afraid he would do something to sabotage me. Not that he didn't do enough to punish me already, but he was the type to go for big revenge.  
I gathered the empty boxes and plates and headed out of the room, not able to listen to another word about football. I just needed to get away. I tip-toed down the stairs so as not to wake my mum, and entered the kitchen, putting the boxes by the door and dumping the glass cups in the sink. I sighed, realizing that I had to wash them now. I pulled out soap and a rag, and as I leaned over to turn on the sink, someone touched my shoulder.  
I let out a strangely high pitched squeak and jumped, whirling around, but it was just Louis, who had his hand over his mouth to cover up his snickering.  
“Sorry, Haz, didn't mean to scare you. What are you doing?” He asked, gesturing at the items in my hands.   
“Oh, umm...just, you know, washing dishes.” I kept my eyes trained on the steady stream of water pouring from the tap, and then I couldn't hold it in anymore, and I just said it. “How do you know about Nick?” His face fell and a crease appeared between his eyebrows.  
“I...well, yesterday, right before I found you, I heard him yelling at you. I didn't recognize the voice at first, but by the time I got to you, he was gone. Later in practice I heard him talking to Coach and I knew.”  
My heart literally stopped beating. He had heard. How much had he heard?  
“Oh...umm, how much of it did you hear?” I asked, fearing the answer.   
“Just something about staying away from someone...and he...he called you a fag.” Louis looked up at me and I quickly turned around, not wanting him to see my tears. He knew. Fuck. I felt a hand on my arm, and turned my head only slightly, so that he could hear me, because I was pretty sure my voice was not going above a whisper.  
“He's not wrong...I...I'm gay.”   
He didn't say a word. I bit down hard on my lip to keep from crying and scrubbed the glasses harder than was necessary. “Y-you don't have to stay. I know you're disgusted. Everyone is.”  
“No. Harry, why would I be disgusted? I don't care if you're gay, you're still the same person.” One tear slipped down my cheek and I gripped the glass in my hand hard.  
“Nick. He...he was talking about you. He didn't want me to be near you because I might 'turn you gay'.” To my very great surprise, Louis chuckled. When I looked around at him in confusion, he smiled at me.  
“Bit too late for that, mate.” My mouth threatened to drop open, but I kept it closed. He just told me he was gay. Nope. Must have misheard. “Yes, Harry, I am gay. Don't look so shocked, love, I mean, look at me!” I blushed. He had taken to calling me 'love' lately, and it made me feel...different. In a good way.   
“I...didn't expect that, to be honest. How did you get on the team as a forward? Nick...he doesn't like guys like you and me.”  
“I just conveniently left that part out. See, he just has an issue with gay people cause he is one. That much is obvious, but he is trying to deny it. Has been for years. I know the signs. But if he doesn't know that I'm gay, then he treats me like a normal person. Not that I'm ashamed, not at all, but sometimes you have to...to leave stuff out, in order to do what you love.” He sighed, and took a step forward. I backed into the sink, but he just cupped the side of my face and wiped away my tear with his thumb.  
“I...umm, right. We should...get back. Niall and Liam...” He seemed to come to his senses and his hand dropped quickly. I was almost disappointed with the loss of contact, but I didn't let it show as I cleaned up and we walked back upstairs together. Liam and Niall gave me a look as I walked in behind Louis, but I just shook my head.   
“We've got school tomorrow. You guys can stay, no problem, but we do need to sleep.” I announced, and they all nodded. I opened the closet and tossed blankets and pillows over my head, which Liam, Louis, and Niall spread on the floor, shoving their bags into the corner of my room. We all stripped down, and I did all in my power to keep my eyes averted from Louis, who was standing before me in just his boxers, which were extremely tight. I was glad I was sleeping in my bed, just in case things happened. I flicked off the light and we all settled down. Soon enough I heard the soft snores of Liam and Niall. Not a sound came from Louis, but I assumed he was asleep.   
I closed my eyes and was almost completely asleep when I heard a shuffle and felt the duvet on my bed lift.   
What the fuck...  
“Haz...I can't sleep.”  
Holy shit. Fucking hell. Louis was in my bed. Louis Tomlinson was in my bed. In his boxers only.  
Ok, Harry. Remain calm. This means nothing. Just stay calm, ask him what's wrong. Come on now, don't be an idiot.  
“Umm...w-why not?” I asked, cursing myself inwardly for stuttering. I turned around to face him as he burrowed under my covers. I had never been more glad for almost total darkness.   
“Don't know. Guess just cause now I know what Nick does to you...and it sickens me. How am I supposed to play with him now that I know?”  
Well...I had not expected that. I also didn't expect to start crying, but it happened. One minute I was trying to comfort Louis and the next minute I was sobbing quietly. Stupid anxiety. Louis moved closer to me and wiped the tears off my cheeks, but they were coming too fast now.  
“Haz, no, don't. Why are you sad?”  
“I...I agreed to play. And now I have to be on the field w-with him and h-he hates me...h-he's going to hurt me, Lou...” I said in a broken whisper, sniffing as quietly as I could so we didn't wake Niall and Liam. I turned away from Louis, my back facing him now. I couldn't keep losing it in front of him, it was so embarrassing.  
An arm came snaking around my waist and Louis pulled me into his chest, pressing completely against my back.   
“Shhh, Harry, it's OK. I'm right here, you'll be OK. I won't let him hurt you.” I leaned back into his hug and rubbed at my eyes roughly.  
“D-did you tell them? Ni and Li?” Louis hesitated, and then sighed. I felt his breath on the back of my neck and tried not to shiver.  
“Yeah. I did. They were wondering where you were and I didn't want to lie to them...they are my friends too. But they aren't going to pull it out of you, they want to wait until you feel comfortable telling them.”  
“I guess they probably weren't surprised that he has been doing this?” I asked quietly, turning my head a little to try to look round at him. Whoa...dangerously close to his face. OK.   
“No. They...umm, they mentioned that you two had a history...that it had been OK once and now it wasn't...but they didn't tell me anything more.” I held my breath. I knew what was coming. And sure enough... “What happened?”  
I opened my mouth, ready to speak. I felt comfortable with Louis. I wanted to tell him. But I couldn't force the words out.  
“I-I...he...I can't...”  
“Shhh, it's OK, you don't have to tell me now. When you're ready you can.” He said soothingly, and I nodded, wiping a few fresh tears from my cheeks.   
“Thank you. I...I will tell you, I promise, I just...I can't. I'm tired...” I mumbled into the pillow.  
“Let's go to sleep then.” He replied, and that was that. I closed my eyes and fell asleep almost immediately, with Louis' arms around me. 

 

I woke up to a bright, piercing light above me. I blinked at the harsh flash and rubbed my eyes, trying to see what was happening. Niall and Liam were hovering over me, smirking and holding up their phones. And that's when I remembered Louis. Now that I thought about it, I could feel him curled up against my back, his breathing even and coming out in little puffs. He still had an arm wrapped loosely around my waist. And here were my two best friends, taking videos of it. Niall saw that I was awake and laughed out loud.  
“Aww, you two are literally so cute!”  
“I have to agree with Ni on this one...you really are adorable.” Liam added, and I swatted at them, shushing them as as well.   
“Guys, he's still asleep! Don't wake him up!” I whispered harshly, but they just snickered and brought the cameras closer to my face. I knew that I probably looked horrible and that my hair was all over the place, but there was nothing I could do about that.  
“Umm, Haz, you might wanna get up and...take care of that...” Liam suggested, turning his camera off as he said this. I was confused until he nodded down, and I followed his head movement. Fuck...morning wood. What the hell.  
“What did he do to you, Hazza?” Niall asked in a suggestive tone, and I threw a pillow at him. Louis stirred behind me, and I did NOT want him waking up and finding out that I had a raging boner because he slept with me. Well, not slept with me but, oh you know what I mean. I pried myself free of his grip and stood up, trying to cover up as best I could, even if I was still wearing boxers. Louis groaned and curled into a tight ball, losing the warmth that had come with being pressed up against another body.   
“Shit...just...stay here...and do NOT tell him anything, got me?” I growled at them through clenched teeth, and they nodded. That was enough for me as I sprinted for the bathroom. Wow, I was really hard, like...really hard. I sat down on the toilet seat and tried to think of gross things to make it go away, but after five minutes, I gave up. I'd have to take care of it the other way.   
I turned on the shower, ripped off my boxers, and hopped in. Ignoring the thoughts of what Niall and Liam were possibly telling Louis at this moment, I took my dick in my hand and began to rub up and down. God, that felt good. All I could think of was Louis being pressed against me, and I pumped faster, running my fingers gently over my tip. One of my many turn ons. Sorry. You probably didn't need to know that, but oh well.   
My legs started to shake and I gripped the railing inside the shower for support. I felt horribly guilty, but I couldn't help it. Louis was so hot, and turned me on so much. I imagined him in there with me, saying my name as I got him off, and, biting down hard on my lip to keep from moaning, I came. It spread down my fist and onto the floor of the shower, washing away quickly with the water. I stayed still for a moment or two, trying to come down as quickly as I could. I turned the water to cold, and within minutes, I was back to normal. I jumped out of the shower, toweled myself dry, and wrapped the towel around my waist. I groaned, realizing I didn't have any clothes, and that I would have to walk back to my room, where Louis was, to get some. In a freaking towel. I grumbled, hating myself, as I walked back over to my room, but when I got in there, Louis was gone, and Niall and Liam were on the floor, laughing uncontrollably.   
“Yes, yes, I know, watching me and Louis sleep must have been a blast for you,” I growled, stepping over them to get clothes from my closet. “You better get dressed...we still have school today. Where's Louis?” At my question, they laughed even harder and just curled into each other, unable to breathe. I just rolled my eyes and pulled on clothes. I found my football jersey on the floor and picked it up, letting the material slide through my fingers. I was really back on the team. And I would be expected to be at practice today. I rummaged in my closet and pulled out my old footie bag. Thankfully it still had everything in it, even though it would all be super small, considering how much I had grown in the past two years. But it was all I had. I emerged from my closet to find a red faced Louis pulling on a shirt. Woah. Shirtless Louis. In my bedroom. I gulped and averted my eyes, packing stuff slowly into my bag. Niall and Liam had finally pulled themselves off the floor and had gotten dressed as well, but they kept shooting looks at Louis, who was avoiding their gaze. What had happened while I was gone?


	11. Chapter 11

Louis' POV:

I could not believe what had happened in the past 24 hours. First, Harry had been put on the field, and he was an amazing player. I never expected him to take charge like that, and it was really hot, if I'm being honest. And then I had admitted to him that I was gay. I didn't hide my sexuality, well, I mean, not really. I had been out back in Doncaster, but here I hadn't gotten around to it yet. He seemed to have been indifferent, which made me question whether he actually maybe liked me or if he just wanted to be friends. I won't lie...I did check him out quite a bit last night. Those shorts were just a little too small, and his small, yet perky bum was very nice to look at. He was just fit in general. But I never got a chance to actually talk to him more and attempt to figure this out. When we went to bed, I figured I would fall right to sleep, considering how tired I was, but that didn't happen. I could not sleep, no matter what position I was in or how many pillows I used. I just couldn't get the thought or the mental image of Nick beating the shit out of Harry out of my brain. So I did the only thing that made sense...I got in bed with Harry Styles. That was the logical thing to do right?   
Well, he seemed quite shocked that I was there, but he didn't protest, which I took as a good sign. But I did have to tell him that I couldn't sleep because I was worrying about him, and then he got upset. I panicked, but went with instinct and calmed him down eventually. I had even gotten up the guts to ask him what had happened between him and Nick, but he didn't tell me. It was almost like he couldn't, that the memory was too painful. So I let him slide on that one, even though talking about it might have helped him. And then he had fallen asleep in my arms. What made me spoon him in the first place, I don't know, but he was warm and comfortable, and made me feel safe.  
Then came the awkward part. I dreamed about him. I dreamed about us, giving each other blow jobs, hand jobs, and other things I'd rather not mention. When I woke up, it was to find Harry gone and Liam and Niall watching me with curiously smug looks on their faces.   
“Where's Harry? What's going on...” I mumbled sitting up and rubbing my eyes. I winced and...no...it couldn't be...I lifted the duvet and groaned. Niall and Liam burst into laughter and fell into a heap on the floor.  
“Guys, seriously, it's not funny! What the hell am I supposed to do...”  
“I'm assuming you had a nice evening...” Liam smirked, and Niall added, “And a rather nice dream, judging by the moans you were emitting a few moments ago...” I rolled my eyes and stood up, grabbing a pillow to cover up my boner as I sprinted for the door, my face a brilliant red. I dropped the pillow and ran for it, heading for the bathroom, but the door was locked and the shower was running. Damn, now what?   
The shower suddenly turned off and I panicked. I pulled open the first available door I found, slipped behind it, and closed it. I groaned inwardly. I was in a fucking closet. Pretty ironic, huh? Well, I didn't have any choice. The thought of Harry being naked in the shower right next to this closet was too much. I ripped down my boxers and took myself in my hand. I didn't last too long, coming in my hand with a high pitched squeak. This was literally the most embarrassed I had ever been in my life. I reached in the dark and found an old rag, and I used it to wipe off my hand. I slowly opened the closet door and peered into the hallway. The coast was clear. I walked shamefully back to Harry's room, my face still burning red, to find Niall and Liam still on the floor and Harry emerging from his closet, a footie bag in his hand. I avoided all eye contact and hurried over to my bag, pulling on skinny jeans and a t-shirt. As long as no one told him, I was in the clear. He didn't have to know...not yet. I wasn't ready for that. I had to know if he liked me first.   
Niall and Liam kept looking over at me, raising their eyebrows, but I just ignored them. I didn't have time for this.

All of this went through my mind for about the fifth time that day as I made my way to lunch. Zayn had been curiously absent from our usual lunch endeavors, and I was starting to worry. The only time I saw him was at footie practice, and he was completely silent and focused at those times. I was curious as to where he went, because he had seemed to be enjoying what we did. It made me happy to know that one person knew my secret and didn't make fun of me for it. Maybe he was just sick or something. Come to think of it, I hadn't seem him at school lately either. I sat down at the football table, looking around for Harry, but he wasn't here yet. Niall and Liam were also absent from the table, as were Nick and his buddies. It was a rather empty table. I just shrugged it off and started to eat. Maybe Zayn would show up later or something?  
Lunch was almost over when Liam and Niall came running into the lunch room, faces flushed. They looked around, spotted me, and gestured frantically. I got up quickly, leaving all of my trash at the table.  
“What's going...”I began, but I was yanked into the hallway next to the lunch room.  
“We...we were practicing..and we saw...just...come on!” Niall panted, dragging me behind him.  
“Seriously, guys, what is happening?” I questioned, but Liam just shushed me. They dragged me outside and behind the bleachers. They inched to the edge of the building and peeked around the corner, then motioning for me to take a look. I moved past them and looked around the corner. In the distance, about 200 feet away, I saw Zayn talking to some really buff looking guys, all of whom were wearing letterman jackets from another school. I pulled back and turned to Niall and Liam, my eyebrows crunching together.   
“What...”  
“SHHH!” They both grabbed an arm each and hauled me back into school, not speaking or stopping until we were in a side hallway, where no one would hear us.  
“Those guys were the three main footie players from our biggest rival!” Niall growled. Now I was even more confused.  
“But...what are they doing here in the middle of the day? And why is Zayn talking to them?”  
“Beats me, but something's fishy about it. We don't associate with them unless we are on the field beating them. Of course, we never actually beat them, but...you know what I mean.” Liam mused, thinking away.  
A sudden yelp makes all three of us jump, and we look down the hallway. There's no one there, but there are noises coming from the adjacent hall.  
“You will NEVER tell them about this, do you understand? I will not be kicked off the team for anything. I know that coach likes you, and you think you have friends, but you don't and I'm going to do everything to make sure that this is as miserable for you as it is for me. But if you tell any of them, I will end you...”   
It was Nick, and there was no doubt in any of our minds as to whom he was talking to. All thoughts about Zayn forgotten, the three of us sprinted down the corridor, which was quickly filling with people as the bell rang. We shoved our way through the crowd, but by the time we reached the other hallway, it was swarming with people, and neither Nick or Harry were anywhere to be found. We searched the crowd with our eyes, which was quite difficult considering how short I was. As the hall slowly emptied, I spotted Harry's phone laying on the ground next to the boy's bathroom. I picked it up and motioned to Liam and Niall, who both followed me into the bathroom. It was silent except for the choking sobs coming from the stall on the end. I walked slowly over and knocked on the door.  
“Harry? It's Louis. Can you come out here, please? Niall and Liam are here too...”  
“N-no. Just go...please go...” came the croaked reply from inside the stall. I looked at Niall and Liam, who looked horribly heartbroken. They had never been on time to see Harry lose it like this, and I could tell that they were scared. I tried again.  
“Hazza, please, we just want to help.”  
“I c-can't.” The words came out as a whisper, and Niall put a hand on my arm.  
“Maybe...maybe we should leave him. Just let him figure it out, if he doesn't want us. We are already late, and you know how Coach is about that...”  
I sighed. Niall was right. As he and Liam headed towards the door, I slipped Harry's phone under the stall door. I was almost at the door when I heard his voice again.   
“Lou, don't go. P-please...I need you.” I blushed a little bit at those words, and looked at Niall and Liam, seeking approval. They were his friends first, and Harry should be going to them for help, not me. But Liam just smiled knowingly and led Niall out of the bathroom. I walked back over to the door, and a moment later, the lock clicked and the door swung open. Harry came out, his head down and his curls all over his face.  
“Haz, look at me. Please, love.” I said quietly. He sniffed and raised his head. I contained my gasp, but barely. His cheek was bruised a dark purple and his eye was almost swollen shut. His cheeks were streaked with tears and the eye that wasn't swollen was red and puffy from crying. His bottom lip was quivering.  
“Oh, Harry...” I didn't know what else to say, so I just pulled him into my arms, where he broke down completely, sobbing onto my shoulder.  
“I...I tried to stop him...said I would go for h-help, and he just...I-I couldn't do a-anything...h-he said he would hurt you guys...I can't let that happen...”   
I ran a hand through his curls subconsciously, not really thinking of what I was doing. It did seem to calm him down a little bit, which was good. I just held him there for a good while, letting him get it all out. When he finally stopped crying, I wiped his tears away with my thumbs and cupped the side of his face gently. I wanted to kiss it so bad, but I couldn't do that, he would kill me.  
“Come on, let's get you to the nurse. She can take care of this and then we can just...go to practice, OK?” He nodded and I led him out of the bathroom and down the long hallways to the nurse's office. I opened the door for him and turned around to leave, aware that I had already missed half of Calculus, but Harry latched onto my wrist, pleading silently with me. I sighed, but I would do anything for him. So I stayed with him. I knew I was missing three classes and Coach would get on me for that, but Harry needed me, and I wanted to help him. I went back with him and played with his fingers while the nurse put some ointment on his eye, trying to distract him from the pain. He still whimpered a bit, which made my heart hurt, but I tried not to let it get to me. The nurse let Harry stay there for the rest of the day, and I stayed with him, just talking to him about the most random stuff. He smiled a few times, so that was a good thing, but he didn't speak. When the final bell rang, his smile disappeared and he started breathing faster.  
“Shhh, Haz, it's OK. I'll be right there with you. And Niall and Liam too.” I said gently as we walked into the crowded hallway and headed for the locker room.  
“I didn't want them to know...I don't want them to worry about me...” He finally said, his voice barely more than a whisper.  
“I know, but they are your best friends. You can trust them, just like you trust me.”  
“I do trust them...I just...I can't tell them yet. Please don't make me...” He sounded close to tears again.  
“No no, I won't ever force you into anything, I promise. When you are ready, you will tell them, and they understand that.”  
I pushed open the door to the locker room, which was silent. We were the first ones in. I dropped my bag in its usual spot, and Harry followed suit, putting his stuff down right next to mine. We dressed quickly, not looking at each other, and I was just tying my cleats when I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I turned. Whoa. Harry was really close to me. He looked down at me through those chocolate curls, and then pulled me into a tight hug. I let out a breath, but wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged back.  
“Thank you so much, Lou...it means more than you know to have someone like you.” He said softly, his breath tickling my ear. He pulled back, and we just looked at each other. His eyes flicked ever so slightly to my lips and I gulped. Was he thinking of kissing me, cause that's what I was thinking, and maybe if we were both thinking it, something would happen. It almost looked like he was leaning in...and the door banged open, and the sounds of Niall's and Liam's voices filled the locker room. We jumped apart and pretended to be busy as they walked in, followed by some of the other members, and then Zayn, Nick, and Nick's crew.  
“Hey, Harry, you doing alright, mate?” Niall asked, pulling his shirt off and throwing it carelessly onto the floor. I noticed Liam watching him as he took off his own shirt, but maybe it was just me seeing things.  
“Yeah, thanks Ni. I'm fine. Louis was a huge help.” Harry answered, giving me a warm smile, which I returned, blushing a little. The four of us turned in unison towards Zayn, who was already dressed and heading out to the field, slamming his locker shut as he walked away from it.  
“What's up with Z?” Harry asked curiously. Niall, Liam, and I eyed each other, and then turned back to Harry.  
“Well, over lunch, we were practicing, and we saw something very interesting...”


	12. Chapter 12

Harry's POV:

All through practice, I tried to avoid confronting Nick, but he apparently didn't trust that I could or would keep my mouth shut. Every single time I even looked at Louis, Niall, or Liam, he was right there, glaring at me or mouthing 'I will end you' across the field. I tried to keep that from getting to me, but I had never been good at that, especially when it came to Nick. That, plus what the others had told me about Zayn, caused my performance in practice to be less than stellar. I guess having a swollen eye also contributed to that. After practice, Coach held me back. The other three hesitated before heading into the locker room, and I turned nervously to Coach, scared.  
“Listen, Styles. I know working with Grimshaw cannot be easy for you. But I'm gonna need you to step it up a little in practice, OK? Don't let him get to you.”  
“Easier said than done, Coach,” I mumbled, looking down at my feet. Coach put a hand on my shoulder and I looked up at him, or rather, down at him, considering my height. He grimaced as he saw the bruising on my face.  
“And you really should get that checked out. Looks like it hurts. I can't pretend to know what you go through on a daily basis, but if someone is hurting you, you can always come to me.” I blushed and looked away.  
“Thanks...I guess I should go...” He nodded and I picked up my bag, heading for the locker room, but he called me and I looked back.  
“Styles...Tomlinson is a good lad, and he cares about you. He would be good for you.” My eyes went wide and I choked on my words. I could feel my face burning, and he just smirked. “See you at the game tomorrow, Styles.”  
I ran quickly for the locker room, surprised to find most of the team still there. I peeled off my shirt as I reached my corner where Niall, Liam, and Louis were all standing, talking and already dressed. They looked up as I threw my bag down, and I could have sworn that Louis actually blushed. I knew that I was still blushing from my conversation with Coach, so I just dressed as quickly as I could, avoiding looking at any of them.   
“What did Coach want?” Louis asked as I stood up with my bag on my shoulder. Shit.  
“Umm...he just wanted me to know that he is there for me if I need to talk to someone...” I said, but it came out as a whisper. I hadn't told Niall and Liam about anything yet, and I didn't want to have to tell them here, in the locker room, in front of all these people. Because I knew that when I finally did get around to telling them, I would break down, and I didn't need that kind of humiliation in front of the team...again. Niall and Liam didn't say anything to that statement, but I knew they were thinking about it and I felt a surge of guilt. I would have to tell them soon.  
“Hey, Lou, you ready to go?” asked a voice from behind me, and I turned to see Zayn standing there, smiling. There was something weird about it...his smile didn't reach his eyes. It was almost like he was faking it. I knew better than to ask, so I just moved out of the way to let Louis pass by.   
“Yeah, Z, I'll be out in a few.” Louis commented, and Zayn nodded, heading for the door. Louis turned to us again and said quietly, “I'll see what I can get out of him. Sometimes he talks to me, so maybe I can find out what's wrong.” We all nodded and mumbled words of encouragement, and Louis said his goodbyes, rushing past me. His hand brushed up against mine and I turned my head quickly, my face a brilliant scarlet. Soon enough, me, Liam, and Niall were the only ones left in the locker room. As we began walking through the school, Niall took his opportunity.  
“OK, so what did Coach really say?”  
“Seriously, Ni, you are so nosy!” I retorted, but I knew he wouldn't give up. “Well, what I told you was the truth, he did say that if I needed someone for anything, like, pertaining to having to play with Nick again, then I could come to him. But...he also basically told me that I should ask Louis out.”  
“Well, can't argue with Coach, can we?” Liam said, nudging me playfully. I shoved him back and he fell into Niall, who caught him quite gracefully and set him back on his feet. Weirdo.   
“I can't just ask Louis out. It's been barely two weeks since I met him. Knowing my luck, it would be an even worse disaster than last time, and that wasn't even an asking out...” I trailed off, realizing where this conversation was heading. I was not about to talk about that. Not yet.  
“Well, I'm pretty sure he likes you, so I'd say go for it. We have a game tomorrow, why not just do it there?” Niall urged, giving me those stupid blue puppy dog eyes.  
“How would you know if he likes me or not?”  
“Oh...no reason...” Liam said with a smirk, and he and Niall ran for it, sprinting up ahead of me.  
“What the hell, guys! What does that even mean?” I shouted after them. Sometimes, my friends drove me insane.

________________

No matter how much I pestered them about their comment, neither of them would tell me what it meant. So I spent hours awake, staring at the dark ceiling after they left, trying to figure it out. I got all of two hours of sleep, so when I woke up the next morning, I had bags under my eyes and my face was pale and peaky. My eye, which had been swollen shut most of yesterday, was better, but it still hurt when I blinked, and the bruising had turned a dark purple. One of the many times I was glad for my lengthening hair...to cover up the bruises. People always talked about me anyway, whispering about me and telling the younger kids about the 'infamous Harry Styles', but when I came to school with bruises, it really got them gossiping. Guess they didn't know who left the bruises, and that gave them more stories to tell about me. Whatever. I grabbed my footie bag and headed to the kitchen. My mum was already up, a lunch standing on the counter and a stack of toast in her hands.   
“Thanks, mum.” I said, taking the lunch and the toast. She kissed my cheek and I winced slightly, her having kissed the bruise. She brushed over it lightly with her thumb and shook her head. I knew she had questions. And soon enough, I would have to answer them. But now was not the time. I just smiled sadly at her, turned, and went on my way to school. Today we had a game. I had to be in my element. That meant no worry about Nick, or Louis, or Niall, or Liam. Liam had had his ankle checked out, and it wasn't broken or sprained, but he wasn't allowed to play for a game or two. Zayn would be taking his place. That reminded me of Zayn. What was up with him? He had always been a pretty mysterious lad, but now it was just downright scary. I didn't know Zayn all that well, but I did know that he would never ever be caught talking to members of that team. Never. I didn't want to believe that he would associate with them. I would have to see it for myself before I actually believed that it was true.   
I hurried up the steps to school, stuffing the last piece of toast in my mouth and throwing away the paper towel in the bin. Louis was waiting for me at my locker, which made me quite nervous. But I forced the nerves down and tried to act normal.  
“Hey, Lou!” I called, smiling. I really was happy to see him, so it wasn't the fake happy that I normally showed at school. He grinned.  
“Hi, Haz! How are you?”  
“I'm...well, I'm OK. Little nervous about the game, but I suppose that will pass, right? Get it...pass...cause we pay football...ah never mind, I'm an idiot.” I fumbled my words and blushed scarlet, trying to hide behind my locker door in embarrassment. Why did I always act so stupid around him? The fact that I was now using lame jokes to try to make him laugh was a sign that I was in way too deep. I heard a cute little chuckle from the other side of my locker door, and I looked around it to see Louis with his hand in front of his mouth, trying not to laugh. I raised my eyebrows at him.  
“What, it was funny!” he said, but I gave him a look and he sighed. “OK, it was a pretty bad joke, but that's what made it funny. Come on, Haz, you know I'm just trying to make you smile. I...I like it when you smile...” His voice faded away, and a light blush coated his cheeks. I swallowed hard and forced myself to look away from his lips, as he was biting one of them nervously. The things this boy did to me...  
At that moment, saving me from further embarrassment, Niall and Liam walked up, looking happy and talking animatedly. Louis and I eyed each other. What the hell was up with them? Louis proceeded to ask them exactly that, and they both got unnaturally quiet.  
“Oh, just...it's a great day for a game. Nice weather, we aren't playing super hard team, and we have Harry back on the team.” Liam said, a little too quickly, and Niall nodded so hard I thought his neck would snap with the force.   
“Umm, right.” I said slowly, looking carefully at them. Something was definitely up with them...maybe they were planning a surprise or something.   
“So, Lou, what did you find out from Zayn?” Niall asked, and suddenly I was all ears. We all turned to Louis and he held up his hands in defense.  
“Whoa, calm down, lads. I didn't really get much. He just said that he was telling them to get off of school property. But he acted weird the whole drive...I don't think he told me the whole truth.” We all just kind of looked at each other. What the hell was going on here?  
The bell rang and we all jumped, calling hurried goodbyes as we ran off to class.

 

Louis' POV:

I wasn't all that nervous for the game until we actually got there. Before that, everything had been running smoothly. I got an A on my History exam, I made it to all my classes, and I saw Harry in the hallway, and he smiled at me. I know that last bit sounds cheesy, but seeing him smile made me smile. I was just glad that he was genuinely happy.  
The four of us agreed at lunch that we would just stick around school until the game, since this game was an earlier one, but after school, I couldn't find any of them. I looked in the music hallway, at all of their lockers, and I even went out to the field, but no one was there. I sighed. Maybe they forgot and went back to Harry's house. I had just pulled out my phone to call one of them when I heard voices, coming from behind the bleachers. I crouched low and snuck around them, making sure I wouldn't be seen. It was those same guys from yesterday, and Zayn was with them. It looked like they were making some sort of trade off, but I couldn't make out exactly what they were saying. Zayn shook hands with them, looked around, and then ran off. I almost called after him, but I figured that if he was sneaking around doing something with these guys, I would rather not be caught spying on them. That would probably end badly for me.   
I walked back into school and almost fell headlong over someone's feet. I looked up to see a mop of curls and a flushed face. Harry.  
“I've been looking everywhere for you!” we both exclaimed at the same time. Wow, awkward. I cleared my throat and he twisted one of his longer curls nervously between his fingers.   
“You gonna let me in, Haz?” I asked cheekily, gesturing at the doorway.   
“Oh...oh yeah, of course, sorry I didn't mean to...” He said, rushing through his words as he stepped aside for me to enter. I let out a small laugh.  
“Don't get so flustered, love, I'm not mad at you.”   
Again with the love thing. God, Louis you have to stop!  
“R-right. Umm, I guess we should...locker room?” Harry said choppily, and I smiled at his flushed cheeks and messy curls. So cute.   
“Lead the way!”   
As we headed towards the locker room, Harry spoke. “Hey, have you seen Niall or Liam? I haven't seem them since lunch...” I shook my head.  
“I haven't either. I was looking for all of you when I...well, I saw something. But I want to wait till we've found them to tell all of you.”  
“You saw Zayn too?” He asked, and I stopped in the middle of the hallway, staring at him.  
“Y-yeah...you were there?”  
“I was just passing in the hallway and saw them outside the window. Looked like a drug trade off or something. What the fuck is going on with him?” God, it was really hot when he swore. I pushed that thought to the back of my mind quickly.   
No, Louis, now is not the time to be aroused. Don't you dare...  
“I don't know. But if those players are as bad as everyone says, it can't be good news.” I replied, and he nodded, continuing down the hall. We were silent until we reached the locker room door, and I pushed it open. There were voices, familiar voices, coming from inside.  
“People are going to be here soon...”  
“Come on...one more...”  
“OK...”  
Harry and I looked at each other, confused. What the hell were Niall and Liam doing?   
“Hey guys...whatcha doing?” I called, and Harry batted my arm. We turned the corner and found them sitting on a bench, shuffling in their bags.  
“We were just...umm...working on a group project. You know, libraries are always a little too quiet, and this project is on, you know, sports, so we thought the locker room would be the best place to work on it.” Niall said in a rush. Harry raised his eyebrows at them. Something weird was going on here.  
“No, Haz, don't give me that look. Here, this is what we got so far. What do you think?” Liam handed me a stack of papers, and I flicked through them, Harry leaning over my shoulder. The research was well done, and there were lots of scribbled notes and numbers all over them. I handed them back hesitantly.   
“OK then...”  
The locker room door opened again and in came the rest of the team. We all began to get dressed, and I couldn't help but look at Harry as he stood there in his boxers, searching frantically through his bag. He sighed heavily and sat down on the bench, his head in his hands.   
“What's up, Harry?”  
“I forgot my shorts. I can't go out there in my boxers...I knew I would screw up something...” He said, his voice muffled in his hands. I grabbed my shorts, which I had just been about to put on, and handed them to him.  
“Here, have mine. I have an extra pair.” Niall and Liam gave me smirks and I glared at them. Harry, however, just looked up at me with hopeful green eyes.  
“Thanks, Lou...” he whispered. He then finally seemed to realize that he was hardly wearing any clothes, because he jumped up and pulled on the shorts, quickly dragging his jersey out of his bag after this and tugging it over his head. The shorts were a bit small, which I found hilarious, and when Niall pointed it out, he blushed, but smiled still. Niall and Liam kept messing with him and joking around, and he seemed really happy. This was how I loved to see Harry: smiling widely and dimples out. So fucking attractive.  
“ALRIGHT TEAM, ON THE FIELD!” Coach yelled from his office, and we all headed for the door, talking quietly but excitedly. Liam hadn't changed, due to his ankle injury, but he still stayed with the team, which I found admirable. We jogged onto the field and began warming up, as was the usual routine. Harry did all of the warm ups without even needing to be told what to do, and I admit I got distracted watching him bend over in those too small shorts. My shorts.  
People began to fill up the stands, and the other team arrived, but we as a team kept to ourselves. Nick and Harry were keeping as much distance between them as possible, which I suppose was a good thing, but it also made me worry. Was Nick plotting? And what the hell had happened between them? That still bothered me. But I wasn't going to pester Harry or anyone else about it. When he was ready, Harry would tell me, I was sure of it.   
The whistle blew, signaling two minutes till game time, and Coach called us in for a huddle. He started the usual pep talk, and we all put our hands in, before we realized something. We were missing a defender.  
“Where's Malik?” Coach asked, and we all froze where we were, looking around at the faces in the huddle. Zayn was not there. Harry leaned into me and whispered in my ear,  
“Where the hell did he go? He was just here an hour ago...”  
“Coach, he was here. I saw him!” I called out, and the huddle broke as members of the team scanned the stands and the field, looking for a familiar raven headed boy. But he was nowhere in sight.  
“Damn it...he was supposed to go in for Payne. Payne, do you think you can play?” Liam looked worried, but he nodded anyway.  
“Yes, sir, of course. I'll go change.”  
“Li, no, you can't! You'll hurt yourself more!” Niall said, grabbing his arm, but Liam smiled kindly and tugged himself out of Niall's grip.   
“I'll be OK, Ni. Don't worry about me.” Liam ran off towards the locker room, only limping a little bit, and the rest of us went back to the huddle. Coach seemed frazzled, but he just had us all put our hands in and do the chant. Niall ran for goal, looking terrified and glancing constantly at the locker room door, behind which Liam was probably changing at top speed. Harry and I jogged to our spots at center field. As we passed Nick, I heard him mumble 'fag' under his breath. Harry tensed a little, but I lay a hand on his shoulder and he relaxed, looking down at me.  
“Don't listen to him. You're better than him.” Harry nodded and I walked over to my place, leaving Harry at center forward. I watched as Coach sent the benched players around, probably to look for Zayn. Where could he have gone? He had been on campus an hour ago, I had seen him. Liam rushed out of the locker room and took his place as defender, and the ref put the whistle to his lips. I turned back around, one eye on Harry and one on the ball. This was going to be an interesting game.


	13. Chapter 13

Harry's POV:

The game started off rough. Almost every member of the team was distracted by the disappearance of Zayn, and we let a lot get past us. The score was 0-4 when Coach finally called for a time out.   
“OK, team, I know we are all worried, but we can't let this affect our game. We've never lost to this team before, and as much as I say reputation doesn't matter, well, it does. So please, don't worry. I have people looking for him. We will find him. Just get out there and kick some ass.” We broke the huddle and hurried back to the field. Liam was limping next to me.  
“Li, are you sure you're OK? If you really need it, I'm sure one of the spare goalies could go in for you...”   
“Harry, I am fine!” Liam snapped in my direction. I felt hurt, but I knew he was just in pain and didn't want to let the team down, so I just nodded and headed for my spot. Louis gave me a sympathetic look, but I just shrugged and focused on the ball. I was not letting these forwards past me. That ball was mine. The whistle sounded and I had the ball in no time, sprinting up the field towards the goal. My way looked perfectly clear, which should have been a hint that something bad was about to happen, but of course, I was oblivious. One minute I was ready to kick the ball into the goal, and the next I was flying through the air, flipping over as someone took out my legs. I landed hard on my shoulder, and pain flared through the right side of my body. The whistle didn't blow. I heard people calling my name, but I couldn't answer. My head was spinning from having struck the ground. I saw a pair of legs fly past me, someone from our team, and they took the ball, scoring our first goal of the game. And now the whistle blew. Fuck, my head hurt. And my shoulder. Everything hurt.  
“Harry, can you hear me?” Someone knelt down in front of me and brushed my hair back. Louis. I tried to ignore the dirty thoughts running through my mind and I choked out a yes, feeling out of breath. “Come on, Haz, I need you to look at me. That's right, right at me, you can do it.” I raised my head a little and looked directly into Louis' concerned blue eyes. The ref was there too, and I could see the rest of the team in a huddle, listening to instructions given by Nick. Louis noticed my gaze and huffed in annoyance. “He ran right past you. Didn't even try to help. But don't worry. I've got you. Can you stand?”  
I just nodded and Louis put his hand on my back, helping me sit up. His hand was so small, it was like a child was helping me, but it sent shivers down my spine. He looped my arm around his shoulders and hauled me to my feet. The crowd cheered and clapped appreciatively as Louis lead me off the field and to the bench.  
“Lou, I'm fine. I need...I have to be out there...” I mumbled as water was shoved in my direction and the medic checked my eyes with little lights. I hated people fussing over me.   
“Haz, you hit the ground really hard...are you sure?” I stood up abruptly, moving the medic out of the way. I only swayed slightly, but my shoulder pulled painfully, and I winced, muttering a string of curses. I rolled up the sleeve carefully and grimaced. Out of socket. Fuck.  
“Louis, I need you to pop this back in.” Louis' eyes went wide, and Coach shook his head.   
“Styles, that's not a good idea...we really should get it looked at prof-”  
“Coach, please! We don't have any other forwards that can catch us up in this game. We have to do this.” The look on my face must have been pretty intense, because Coach just nodded. I sat back down so that Louis could have an easier time reaching my shoulder. His eyes darted all over the place and his hands were shaking slightly.  
“It's OK, Lou. I trust you. Just...just do it.” I rolled up my sleeve, and Louis carefully placed his hands on my swollen shoulder. I tried not to wince too much, because I knew it would scare him. Niall and Liam were at the edge of the field, watching nervously. Nick was behind them, laughing with his friends. Prick.  
“OK...ready? One, two...three!” On three, Louis popped my shoulder back in, and I yelled some pretty colorful words, but when he let go, looking at me with terrified eyes, I nodded slowly and rolled my shoulder. Still burned a little bit, but it was mostly back to normal. I stood up and, without even thinking about it, I kissed Louis on the forehead.   
“Thank you, oh god, I owe you for this.” I said before running back onto the field, rolling my shoulder a few more times to get it back to normal. Louis just stood there on the side of the field for a few seconds before jogging after me. He looked quite red in the face, and he kept his head down. That was good for me, because, in realizing what I had just done, my face was burning with embarrassment.  
The game started up again, and even though my shoulder didn't appreciate being bounced up and down, I pushed through the pain and embarrassment and scored three times before the call of the half. Coach had us in a huddle. Now the game was tied, and we only had a half to win, or at least, keep them from beating us too badly. Coach didn't even need to say anything, we all knew what we had to do.  
“OK, team. Let's just play footie the way we know how, and we will win. Just make sure that you don't injure yourself, like this fag right here.” Nick said as Coach left the huddle, checking up with one of the people who was searching for Zayn. Nick glared at me and I looked down, ashamed.   
“For fuck's sake, Nick, leave Harry alone. We are supposed to be working as a team here.” Louis retorted, and my head snapped in his direction. Niall and Liam both stared at Louis like he was insane. No one talked back to the captain...even if the captain was a homophobe. Nick just smirked.  
“Oh, look, Styles, you've got an admirer. What are you, his boyfriend, Tommo?”  
“So what if I was? Then you'd have to deal with two gay boys on your team. Oh, the horror!” Louis scoffed sassily, and Nick's mouth dropped open. Louis grabbed me by the arm and dragged me back onto the field as the two minute whistle blew.  
“Lou...what the hell...” I gaped. I could not believe he had just said that to Nick of all people.   
“I'm done with his shit. He doesn't have the right to treat you like that. We are a team, and he needs to start acting like it.” he grumbled.  
“But...you almost just, like, outed yourself...I didn't think you wanted that.”  
“If it happens, it happens. I'm not scared of Nick. He can't do anything to me.”  
I just closed my mouth and nodded, watching him walk off to the left side of the field and take his position. I had never seen Louis pissed before, and it was a huge turn on. I bit down on my lip to keep from getting too excited and play resumed with a tweet of the whistle. Nick got the ball, but refused to pass it to me and tried to pass cross-field to Louis. It was stolen and taken back by the other team.  
“What the hell, Grimshaw? Harry was open!” Louis yelled across the field, but Nick ignored him. The three of us dashed down the field to where the forward with the ball was struggling to get past Liam. Liam had a horrible grimace on his face and was favoring one leg. The forward noticed this and kicked the ball round on Liam's bad side. Liam instinctively stuck out his foot to stop it and this time I did hear the crack. Liam fell to his knees, tears filling his eyes as he fought to keep the pain down. I forgot that I was playing in a game and I ran for him. I could see Niall sprinting from the goal, and we met at Liam. He was sitting down now, his foot at an awkward angle, and his breathing shallow. I could see lights flashing and the paramedics hurrying onto the field with a stretcher.  
“Li, I don't want to say that I warned you, but...”  
“I know, I know. I'm an idiot.” Liam gasped. Niall was just standing there, gripping his hair and biting down hard on his lip. He looked terrified out of his mind. I had never seen Niall like this before. As the paramedics got there, Niall made to follow them, but Coach held him back.  
“Coach, I can't let him go alone. I'm his...best friend, I have to go with him.”  
“Ni, stay here. Play the game.” Liam called through gritted teeth, and Niall looked like he was about to cry. I knew how he felt. I was panicking now. My best friend was going to the hospital, my other best friend was acting like his wife was dying of cancer, and I may have just made Louis out himself to Nick Grimshaw. This was fucked up.  
“Come on. We have to finish this game. That's what Liam would want us to do right now.” Louis said in a calm and collected tone. I nodded and placed a hand on Niall's shoulder.  
“Let's go, Ni. He'll be alright.” Niall turned and stalked back to the goal without even looking at me.  
“What's up with Niall? He seems a little more upset than I thought he would be.” Louis asked as we hurried back to our positions.  
“I have no idea...but something happened between him and Liam, and I'm gonna find out.” I answered, and play resumed.   
We had about a minute left on the clock, and the other team had the ball. But no matter how hard they tried to score, nothing could get past Niall. He was on his game tonight, blocking everything that came at him, and I could tell that the other team was getting frustrated. This was good for us. We were one goal ahead as of now, so we just had to keep it that way. Louis had the ball, and both Nick and I were open. Louis, of course, passed it to me, and I almost had it when a defender came out of nowhere and bounced the ball off his head before it could get to me. The whistle sounded, signaling the end of the game, and I relaxed, not realizing how tense I had been.   
“What the fuck, Styles?!” Nick bellowed as he came stalking towards me. I backed away from him, but he just kept coming. “We could have had that last shot! What the hell is wrong with you?”  
“I...I didn't...”  
“Didn't get the ball, yeah I know.” Nick got right up in my face, tearing at his hair and looking murderous.   
“Calm the fuck down, Nick, we won!” Louis yelled, coming up to us with Niall on his heels. Nick just turned, rubbing his face with his hands.  
Crunch!   
I felt his knuckles collide with my jaw and I was down, black spots in front of my eyes. He had just punched me. In front of the whole team. I scooted away from him as fast as I could, holding my face and trying to keep the tears from spilling over. Louis was physically restraining Niall, who looked like he was about to kill Nick, and Nick's friends were backing away, trying to make it look like they had nothing to do with this.   
“GRIMSHAW! MY OFFICE, NOW!” Coach bellowed at the top of his voice, and Nick finally realized what he had done. For once in his life, he had the decency to look scared, and that almost made up for the pain in my face. I watched him trudge towards the locker room, followed by most of the team. Louis was still holding Niall back, and I knew why. Niall was pissed already, and worried about Liam, and if Louis let him go, he would let Nick have it until he was a bloody mess on the floor. I stood up shakily, and they finally stopped struggling, turning immediately to check on me.  
“Hazza, you OK?” Louis asked, pulling my hand away and examining my rapidly bruising face. I could feel tingles going up my arm from his touch, and I prayed that he wasn't going to ask about the forehead kiss any time soon. He touched my jaw gently and I closed my eyes, letting a few tears escape onto my cheeks.  
“I'm fine. Hurts, but I'm used to it.”   
“I can't believe him...he does this to you all the fucking time...no consideration for the team or himself or anyone else...damn him...I'm going to fucking kill him...” Niall growled, starting for the locker room.  
“NO! Niall, please don't...it will only make it worse. Just...don't. We have to go see if Liam is alright.” At the mention of Liam's name, Niall stopped walking and just hung his head.  
“It's all my fault...should've tried to convince him not to play...” He mumbled as Louis and I walked up next to him. Louis and I looked at each other. We both wanted to ask so badly, but Niall seemed so sad, and sad Niall meant sad everyone.  
“He's gonna be fine, mate. I promise. Come on. He's probably still at the hospital, and we can visit if you like.” Niall just nodded and walked on ahead of us. I could've sworn I saw him wipe away tears as he opened the locker room door.   
“I'm sorry...” Louis whispered.  
“Don't be. I'm alright. Come on, let's get changed. We are in for a long night.”


	14. Chapter 14

Louis' POV:

We spent all night in the hospital. Liam was being kept overnight, and even though we weren't allowed in to see him, Niall would not leave the waiting room. So Harry and I stayed with him. He obviously wanted to be left alone, which left me to sit next to Harry.   
In the end, I fell asleep and woke up with my head snuggled into Harry's chest and his arm around me. I don't know how that happened, but I wasn't complaining. On the contrary, my heart was pounding and my cheeks were flushed. Harry stirred next to me and looked down through his messy curls.  
“Morning Lou...did we stay here all night?” I simply nodded, not trusting my voice to work. Harry noticed our position and whipped his arm off me, mumbling an apology and looking away, red faced. I looked around and saw Niall slumped in a chair, his mouth hanging open.  
“What do you think is going on with them?” I asked, trying to make light of the awkward situation. Harry just shook his head.  
“If I didn't know better, I would say that they were-”  
“Liam Payne. Anyone out here for Liam Payne?” A voice called, and Niall woke up abruptly, falling on the floor in his haste to stand up.  
“Yeah...me...Niall Horan...thank you so much.” he said quickly, still groggy with sleep, and he stumbled behind the nurse as she lead him into the hallway. I stood and stretched, offering my hand to Harry. He took it hesitantly and I pulled him up. Our hands stayed in each others longer than necessary, and I blushed lightly before taking my hand away.  
God, Tomlinson, stop being so obvious!  
“Umm...we should...you know, school...yeah...” Harry stuttered, and I nodded. We walked out to the parking lot and got into his car. The ride was silent, and we didn't say a word to each other as we walked into school together. I could feel eyes following Harry as we walked to his locker, and he kept his head down, his face obscured by his rumpled curls. I could still see the outline of a bruise on his jaw and around his eye, and that made me think of Nick. What had happened in Coach's office after the game?  
The bell rang and I jumped. I hadn't realized that we were so late. I said a hurried goodbye to Harry, promising him that I would see him at lunch, and dashed off to class, my mind on Nick and Liam and Niall and Harry. 

When lunch rolled around, I completely forgot about meeting Harry, and instead found myself going to meet Zayn. I didn't even know if he was in school, but I knew that if he was, he would be where we normally meet. I hurried through the halls and slipped into the choral room. Zayn was nowhere to be found. Normally I could find him at the piano, playing something that he composed himself. He wasn't the fastest composer, but he was extremely good, and I loved hearing him play. I sat down at the piano and lifted the key cover, running my fingers over the ivory keys. It had been several days...maybe just one song...  
It was several minutes before I came back to my senses and remembered Harry. He was probably looking for me, or he was in a practice room. I really hoped for the second one, because I wanted to hear him sing again. I peered carefully out into the hallway, and, finding it empty, emerged into it. No one could know that I came here. It was a secret only Zayn knew, and that's because he was the same as me...a boy with something to hide. Sure enough I heard a soft, deep voice coming from a practice room, and I moved closer to listen.  
Just a little bit of your heart,  
Just a little bit of your heart,   
Just a little bit of your heart is all I want.  
I sighed. Those lyrics were beautiful. I had never heard them before, though, which was strange. Did Harry write his own music? I got up my courage and knocked on the door. Harry jumped and turned around. Seeing it was me, he smiled gently and unlocked the door, opening it for me. I went in and closed the door behind me. Wow, these rooms were smaller than they looked.  
“Hey...umm, did you write that?” I asked timidly, not wanting to intrude on him if it was private. He hesitated before nodding slowly.   
“Do you want to hear the bridge?” His voice was barely more than a whisper, but I nodded eagerly, sitting down on the bench next to him. He played a chord and opened his mouth to sing, looking directly at me.  
I know I'm not your only,  
but at least I'm one,   
I heard a little love  
is better than none.  
I couldn't move. I couldn't even breathe. He was singing right into my soul, and I didn't know what to do with myself. He pulled his hands off the piano and smiled weakly.  
“I, umm, I wrote it a couple days ago...still working out the kinks, but...it's for someone really special.” His eyes were boring right into mine, and I wanted to kiss him so bad. But I didn't, because I'm a fucking coward. What if he didn't like me back? What if I was a bad kisser? Oh god...  
“So...what brought you up here?” I asked him, trying to regain my composure. He cleared his  
s lying everywhere.  
“Oh, I was looking for you, but I couldn't find you in the cafeteria, so I just came up here. And...and the piano player was here again.” I almost choked on air.  
“O-oh...were they?”  
“Yeah...same piece as always, but it sounded almost sad this time.” Harry's voice had taken on an almost dreamy quality, and he looked at me with sad green eyes. “If only I knew who it was, then maybe...but I'm being stupid. That would never happen.”  
I didn't say a word. It couldn't be...no way...he couldn't be talking about me, could he?  
“Umm, Haz, by any chance, did the piece go like this?” I asked nervously, placing my hands on the piano and running through a few bars of the piece I had been playing. He closed his eyes and nodded. Shit. Fuck. Hell. Every swear word in the book. I was the piano player. But he didn't know that, he couldn't possibly know that.  
“I didn't know you could play, that was...Lou, are you OK? You look like you're about to be sick...” Harry said, peering into my face anxiously. I nodded quickly, brushing my fringe out of my eyes.   
“M'fine. Just got a bit...yeah. We had better go...the crowds will be here soon, and I know how much you hate them.” Harry looked almost surprised at my words, but he got up, swinging his bag over his shoulder and opening the door. I followed him out, still swearing in my head. Shit. He knew my secret. Well, he didn't exactly know, but he still...this was so fucked up.   
We reached his locker and he started pulling out books for his afternoon classes. The people were starting to fill the hallway, and I could see Harry tense up at the loudness of the voices, but I just put my hand on his arm and he relaxed. Did I really have that big of an effect on him? Niall suddenly appeared next to us, looking tired but happy again. Harry smiled at the sight of Niall bouncing around and pulled him into a hug.  
“Hey Ni! How's Li?”  
“He's going to be alright, thank god. Just a really bad break. He will be on crutches and out for the season, but at least he-”  
“OI, STYLES! GET THE FUCK OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!” I whipped my head around as Harry closed his locker door and looked down at the floor, absolutely terrified. Nick was storming up the hallway, red-faced and furious. Niall got a murderous look on his face, but I hissed under my breath,   
“Niall, don't. He's just letting off steam...we can protect Harry without having to hurt him...”  
Nick shoved past me and Niall like we were rag dolls and got right up in Harry's face. He was so terrified, he couldn't even cower away. He just stood stock still, his breathing quick and uneven.  
“You know what Coach just told me? Well, do you?” Nick growled, gripping into the front of Harry's shirt. Harry opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came out.   
“Hey, Nick, lay off him, mate...” someone said from the crowd, but Nick just slammed Harry up against a locker.  
“He just kicked me off the team. For hitting you. And whose fault is that? Yours, for missing the damn shot and being a fucking f-”  
Harry's face morphed into something I'd never seen before, and he dropped his books on the ground, pushing Nick off him and into the crowd that had gathered to watch. Nick stumbled and I just stood there with my mouth wide open. I didn't know Harry had that in him.   
“Keep your fucking hands off me, you prick. You getting kicked off the team doesn't have a thing to do with me. It happened because you're a sore loser who doesn't know how to control his anger and a fucking homophobe who can't get past differences to act like a team. I'm so done with all your bullshit.” Harry yelled, glaring at Nick. His eyes were dark green with anger, and I have to admit, I was slightly terrified of the expression on his face.  
“Don't even try to act like the better person, Styles. Everyone here knows what happened...no one will be on your side.”   
Harry looked ready to yell back, but he faltered and Nick smirked at his own comment.  
“Yeah, that's right. Don't you remember that night, two years ago? We had just won the National Championships, and we were in the locker room. You were so excited, those curls everywhere and your cheeks flushed with victory. Everyone knew you had a crush on me, and you just fucking came onto me and basically raped me.”  
I clapped a hand over my mouth. Nick and Harry...what? I looked over at Niall, but he wasn't looking at me. He was looking at Harry, who was backing away slowly, tears in his eyes. The crowd didn't even look phased. They all knew.  
“Well, it turns out that you're just as much of a baby now as you were then when I told the whole school what you did.”   
The hallway was silent except for Nick's heavy breathing and the small murmurs of the crowd. I didn't know what to do, or if I should say anything, or if I should just...I didn't know.  
“You're such a fucking hypocrite...” Harry's voice was about an octave deeper as he moved forward towards Nick again. Nick's smirk faltered and he takes a step back now. “You have been lying to all of these people this entire time! I didn't come after you, you fucking kissed me! And I fucking wanted it. So yeah, I liked you, OK? But you liked me too, and there is no way in hell I'm letting you get away with this anymore. You liked me. You're fucking gay, yet you go around hating me for being exactly the same. That's not how it works, Nick. I'm proud to be gay. I didn't want outed the way you did it, but at least I don't have to hide anymore. Everyone hates me, and it's all your fault. But whatever right? As long as you got to stay on the team and have your perfect heterosexual team, it was all fine to you. You didn't even spare a thought for me, even after you told me you loved me that night. So you know what, fuck you.”  
Now the hallway was completely silent. No one spoke. I was in so much shock, I didn't even know if I was still breathing. What the fuck was happening? Nick looked quite terrified, but he managed a smirk still.   
“Well, at least when I fall for someone, they like me back. Unlike you, who has fallen not only once, but twice. No one wants you, Styles. Get used to it.”  
That one hit Harry hard. His eyes, which had already been filled with tears, were now wet as the tears slipped onto his cheeks, and without another word, he shoved his way through the people and ran.  
“What the hell are you all looking at?” Nick bellowed at the crowd, and they all scattered. All except for me and Niall, who just stood there, dumbfounded.  
“Ni...I...I didn't...” I stuttered, looking at Niall pleadingly, as though he could explain what had just happened to me in words that I could understand.  
“Harry didn't want anyone to know. And now...well, everyone knows. Come on, we have to find him.”  
“Where are we even going to look? He could be anywhere!”   
“He'll be with the one person that wasn't here to witness this, the one person whom he trusts to comfort him. We're going back to the hospital.”


	15. Chapter 15

Harry's POV:

I couldn't take it anymore. I was humiliated in front of the entire school again, and even when I tried to stand up for myself and tell everyone what really happened, I still managed to get hurt. I was such a fucking coward, but I didn't even care. Louis had heard. He knew what had happened, and he was the one person that I had hoped would never find out. No one needed to see me break down, I just had to get out of there. So I went to the one person who I knew would help me, because I was minutes away from having a full fledged panic attack.   
I didn't even bother with my car, I just ran and ran until I got to the hospital, and I didn't stop until I got to the overnight floor.  
“Li-Liam Payne!” I gasped at the secretary, and she looked alarmed, but checked her paperwork.  
“He went home just an hour ago...are you alright, sweetie?”   
Fuck, he had gone home. I gripped my hair, but I just nodded at the lady and ran back down the stairs and out the door. Liam's wasn't too far from here, thank god, because I could barely breathe.   
Come on, Styles, you can make it...  
I reached his house, trying to take in some sort of air, but the combination of running and panicking was not helping my situation. I was feeling light headed, but I forced myself to knock on the door before slumping against it, shaking all over. The door opened and I heard Liam's voice above me.  
“Who's...Harry?? MUM! Mum, please, I need help.”  
Everything was very fuzzy, but I felt someone grip me under the arms and I was dragged into Liam's house, shaking and crying my eyes out. That someone got me to the couch and ran from the room. The couch sank next to my head and I could see Liam's outline as he cradled my head in his lap.  
“Haz, you're OK. Shhh, it's going to be OK...Mum, hurry!”  
“He...Nick, he just...and I...” I choked out. I couldn't stop my tears, I couldn't stop shaking. I hated the feeling of not being able to breathe.  
A woman came hurrying back into the room and sat on the other side of me, as near as I could figure between the spasms of my own body. Wow this was bad...I hadn't had one this bad since...well, since the last time Nick and I had argued in school.  
“Harry, honey, you have to breathe for me, OK? You're safe here, no one is going to hurt you.”  
I nodded jerkily. I knew Mrs. Payne was right in the back of my mind, but I couldn't force myself to believe it. I closed my eyes and let the tears fall, trying to calm myself. I had to think of something good, something that made me happy. Immediately, Louis popped into my head, smiling that smile where his eyes crinkled and brushing his fringe away from his eyes so he could see. I started to breathe easier, and Liam sighed in relief.  
“Mum, I think I've got him...” Liam said as he held my head gently in his lap. I felt the weight lifting from the couch, and then it was silent. I was still crying and shaking, but I could feel it getting a little better.   
“Li...” I croaked, and Liam pulled me into his arms, holding me.  
“It's alright, Haz, I'm here. I'm not leaving you. And when you are ready to-”  
The doorbell rang and I cowered into Liam. My heart started pounding out of my chest.   
“Oh god, he's here...he followed me...Li, I can't...” My breathing picked up again, and I struggled to hide myself, but there was nowhere to hide.   
“Mum, please get the door!” Liam called in a slight panic, trying to soothe me with words, but it was only getting worse. I knew it. I knew Nick wouldn't let me off that easliy. I knew he would come after me, and he wouldn't hesitate to kill me. But maybe I was OK with that...maybe if he killed me the pain would go away. In the background of my raging thoughts, I could hear Mrs. Payne at the door, talking to whomever it was.  
“I don't think it's a good idea for you guys to be here...Harry's in a right state...”  
“You don't understand, Mrs. Payne, I need to see him...”  
Louis was here. Not Nick, but Louis. I needed Louis. He could calm me down. He was a reason to live through this.  
“Li...I need him...I need Louis...p-please.” I cried desperately, and Liam called out to his mum,  
“Mum, let them in! Harry needs him!”   
There was a clambering of feet and Louis and Niall came rushing into the room, faces flushed from running so far. Louis came over to me immediately and took me gently from Liam's arms.  
“Shh, Hazza, it's Louis. I'm right here. You're OK. Come on, breathe for me...that's it...” Louis said soothingly into my ear, running a hand through my hair and gripping my hand tightly. I squeezed his hand back and buried my face in his neck, breathing in his smell. Surprisingly enough, it calmed me a little, and I could finally take in deeper breaths. I stayed like that, clutching onto Louis, for roughly ten minutes, or it seemed about that long, before I had finally stopped crying. I pulled away from Louis slightly, and I felt his lips press gently into my curls. God...oh god...he just kissed me. On the head, I know, but it was something. I didn't want to be obvious, though, so I just acted like it was nothing and looked around. Liam and Niall were sitting across the room, while Niall told Liam what had gone down at school. It took all my courage, but I looked directly at Louis, right into his eyes. They were filled with worry, but also with relief, and something else that I couldn't quite place. I was still trembling a little, and Louis just pulled me into his arms for a hug, pressing his face into my chest.  
“You're OK, Haz. I won't let him hurt you.” He mumbled into my shirt, and I almost smiled.  
“T-thanks, Lou...I...” I almost told him I loved him. I almost let it slip. But luckily I caught myself and just settled into Louis' arms, wiping my eyes furiously. Niall and Liam got up from their corner and came over to where me and Louis were, Niall supporting Liam as he hopped over to us. Niall helped Liam sit down on the floor, elevating his foot, and then he sat down himself, right in front of me.  
“Hey, Harry.” Niall said softly, using a tone he had never before used with me. I gave a watery smile and then looked at Liam.  
“God, Li, I'm so sorry...I shouldn't have come here...you're hurt and I didn't even consider...I...” I stammered out. I felt horrible. I could clearly see that my best friend was in pain, and I took advantage of him. Liam shook his head furiously.  
“No, Harry. Don't talk like that. I'm fine, really. I was happy to help. I'll always be here for you.” Liam made a move to stand up and hug me, forgetting momentarily that he had a broken ankle, and winced horribly, falling back down on his butt.  
“Be careful, babe...” Niall said, putting a hand on Liam's leg.   
Babe??? What the fuck...  
“OK, you two. What the hell is going on?” Louis said suddenly, looking down at Niall and Liam skeptically.   
“Yeah, seriously. You guys have been acting weird...like really weird. It's almost like-” I began, but Niall cut me off abruptly.  
“I'm thirsty, yeah? Anyone else? Great, I'll get drinks.” Niall rushed through the words and leaped up, hurrying out of the room. Louis and I both turned to Liam, who blushed and looked away. Liam never blushed at anything.  
“Liam...what are you not telling us...?” I asked, using an all knowing tone.  
“Umm...it's nothing, Haz, really...” Liam began, but I just eyed him.  
“Liam...seriously, I'm your best friend. You don't have to hide anything from me.” Liam just shook his head.  
“It's complicated right now, Haz. I...I promise I'll...tell you after the next game, OK? We... I mean I...just have to figure stuff out...” He stammered. He looked very nervous, and we just let it drop. Niall came back with four mugs of tea and handed one to each of us before slurping his own. Louis turned to me slowly, glancing nervously at Liam and Niall before speaking.  
“Umm...Harry. I hate to do this to you, I really do. But I just...all that stuff Nick said...and what you said...was it true?”   
I gluped and gripped onto my tea mug tightly. My heart felt like it was going a hundred miles an hour, and I was starting to sweat.  
“Lou...I...” I mumbled, putting the tea down with trembling hands. I didn't want to spill it on myself if I lost control.  
“You don't have to tell me, I was just...” Louis began, but I held up a hand. I had to do this. I couldn't just leave him wondering the whole time.   
“What he said...umm...about me liking him...yeah. Yeah, that part is true. I just...I couldn't help it.” I sighed. Looks like I was telling the whole story. I didn't even know if I would make it through the whole thing, but I had to try. For Louis. He deserved to know. I cleared my throat and tried to speak, but nothing came out. Niall and Liam were looking down at the floor. They knew I hated pity, and they were trying to hide the fact that they felt bad for me. This is why I had the best friends in the world. I closed my eyes, breathed in again, and began from the beginning.   
“I had just started Year Nine. Liam and Niall and I all really wanted to play footie, that was our dream. We practiced for three years before that just to get good enough to be on the team. And we all made, it, first picks too. We got to meet the rest of the team that week during our first official practice. We did workouts during the fall, but it was still called practice. And that's when I met Nick. From the moment I laid eyes on him, I was in love. He was so fucking fit and really nice to everyone, and I just fell head over heels. Liam and Niall...well, they didn't like him...said something was up with him, but they didn't try to force me into or out of anything, so my feelings for Nick got stronger. I think he knew the whole time, but it was really hard to tell. I mean, I was pretty obvious. But when real practice for the season started was when things got interesting. He...he flirted with me, on a daily basis, and I was so excited. Did he like me back? I had only come to terms with being gay the year before, and I wasn't out yet, but I thought maybe if we dated, I would be comfortable coming out. It was like that the entire season, right up until the final match. We made it to the National Championships, with no losses, and the game was tied. Nick and I collectively scored the winning goal, and it was a celebration. We got back to the locker room that night and we were yelling our heads off and carrying the trophy and it was all perfect...and then it happened. He...Nick, he just...”  
I had to stop. My voice wouldn't work. I couldn't say it...it was too embarrassing, too painful a memory. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I forced them back. I was not going to cry. I swallowed hard, noticing that all of their faces showed signs of sympathy, including Louis. It was like he knew what was coming.  
“He kissed me. We were getting dressed and I don't know how it happened, but we ended up alone in the locker room, and he just pulled me to him and kissed me. I didn't know what to do. I was young and scared, but I also w-wanted his lips on mine..And it just...it went from there. He kept saying things like 'I've never done this with a guy before' and “You're so sexy, I've liked you since the first time I saw you', but worst of all was when he told me he loved me. I...I should have never listened to him...but he s-sounded so sincere and I just...I went with it.” Tears were now unwillingly sliding down my cheeks, and I hated myself for it, but the next part was the worst.   
“That night, he took me home, and I immediately called Liam and Niall and told them what had happened. They were happy for me, which was more than I could have hoped for. But it all went downhill the next day. I walked into school proudly and met Nick at his locker, like a good boyfriend would. And he just...went off. He yelled at me to get away from him, and he called me a disgusting fag, and when I asked him what I had done, he yelled for the entire hallway to hear that I had raped him in the locker room after the game. And everyone believed him. I just... lost it, and I hid in the janitor's closet and broke down completely. That was the first time I had ever had a panic attack, and it was just about as bad as this one...but there was no one there to help me.” I gulped and tried to wipe away my tears, but there were too many, and my sleeves were already soaking wet with them.  
“L-Liam and Niall eventually found me and got me home...and since then, well nothing good has come of anything. I left the footie team, my ultimate dream, because I couldn't be near him anymore. I tried to stay away from him. It worked, for a time, but then they started beating me up, and I couldn't argue with them. I was disgusting. Maybe it was actually me who took advantage of Nick in the locker room that night. I don't...I don't know...and I tried to tell them all the truth today, but I don't think they even cared. No one cares about me.”   
I broke down completely, sobbing into my own arms, until I felt a pair of arms close around me. There was some shuffling, and two more pairs of arms went around me, comforting me. My friends...my three friends...they were there for me.  
“Harry, what happened with Nick wasn't your fault. He's a hypocrite, and now everyone knows it. Don't ever say that it was your fault.” Louis murmured into my ear, and I snuggled up to him. Liam and Niall just stayed silent, holding me until I stopped crying. I sniffed as they all let go, and Liam looked down at me, smiling broadly.   
“No matter what anyone tells you, we will always be here for you. Always.”  
“What Liam said. Plus, I don't know of anyone else who would put up with me on a daily basis.” Niall said with a smirk, and I gave a faint laugh. Leave it to Niall to try to lighten the situation with humor.   
“Thank you...I love you guys,” I said, and I could say that. Louis was my friend, and I did love him like a friend, just like I loved Niall and Liam. In a way. Sort of. Whatever.   
I suddenly felt extremely tired. Two panic attacks and all of that crying had worn me to bits. I leaned my head back against the couch, sighing, and all three of them looked at me.  
“You tired, Hazza?” Louis asked softly, and I nodded.  
“M'really tired. Can I sleep here?” I mumbled, already half asleep.   
“Of course you can, Haz. I'll call your mom and let her know, yeah?” Liam said kindly, offering me a pillow and a blanket from the chair. I nodded and lay down on the couch, my eyes already beginning to close. Niall walked out with Liam, presumably to get some food, and Louis made to get up as well, but I grabbed his arm.  
“Lou...please stay with me...please.” I don't know what made me say it, but it was one of the most obvious things I had done yet. I mentally groaned, figuring he would walk away with a nervous look on his face. On the contrary, he smiled down at me and sat back down, sliding behind me and looping an arm loosely around my waist.  
“Always. Good night, Hazza,” he whispered in my ear, and I shivered slightly.  
“G'night, Lou...” I mumbled, before falling into a deep sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

Harry's POV:

I woke up the next morning, early, and for a moment, I had no idea where I was. I almost started to panic as I turned my head this way and that, and then relaxed when I recognized the interior of Liam's house. I felt a slight breeze on the back of my neck and shivered. What was...  
Holy shit.  
It was Louis. Louis was spooning me. Again. I didn't know what to do. If I moved, I might wake him up, and that could get really awkward. I looked for a clock, craning my neck to see the time. It was only 5 AM. That meant I could go back to sleep for an hour. I hesitated for about a second before deciding to try to turn around. My neck needed to bend the other way. I finally managed it, as I was going slowly to not wake Louis, and I snuggled into his chest, falling back asleep.  
I was woken up again by a loud thump and a cry of 'FUCK' from upstairs. I jumped and opened my eyes, only to have them met with blue ones. Louis' face was literally right in front of mine. Our foreheads were touching. I gulped down my nerves and tried not to look at his lips.  
Don't even think about it, Harry. Don't do it...  
“H-hi...” Louis stuttered, his blue eyes half clouded with sleep but wide. His breath fanned over my face and I closed my eyes. Maybe if I didn't look at him, I would have the overwhelming urge to kiss the hell out of him. I decided it would be a good idea to move before I did something stupid, but I completely forgot for a moment that I was on a couch, and promptly fell onto the floor when I rolled over.   
I groaned and Louis sat up, looking down at me with a concerned expression. His hair was all over the place, and I blushed as dirty thoughts of sex hair entered my mind. I could not sit here getting turned on by Louis when it was never going to happen. I struggled to my feet, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, and a commotion was heard at the top of the stairs. I stumbled to the stairs and squinted up at Niall and Liam, who were obviously struggling to get down the stairs. Niall was trying to help Liam, but Liam wanted to do it himself and he was refusing to sit down and go on his ass like a normal person. I sighed and climbed the stairs two at a time, lifting Liam into my arms easily, and carrying him down the stairs. I set him down nicely on the floor and Niall followed, grumbling to himself. Louis was watching from the doorway, a strange expression on his face, but I could barely see it because everything was blurry. Blurry...  
“Shit...” I mumbled under my breath. I hurried to the bathroom and got my contacts out of my eyes, but it was no good. My vision only worsened without them. I had completely forgotten that I had been wearing them for over a week, and they had finally gone bad. This meant I had to wear my glasses. In front of people. Specifically, in front of Louis. I sighed, biting down on my lip as I exited the bathroom. As if people weren't going to hate me enough. And that's when I realized. Everything had gone down yesterday at school. And I had to go to school today, which meant that everyone, even those that hadn't witnessed the events, would know. And they would all be talking about it.  
“Hey, Harry, are you almost...are you crying? What's wrong?” I felt small arms wrap around me and I sank into Louis' embrace, biting down harder on my lip to keep from crying.  
“I...I have to go back today...Lou, they are all gonna hate me e-even more...” I stuttered, pulling away from him and wiping my eyes furiously. I was not going to be some sort of wimp. I had cried enough. I needed to be strong. Louis shook his head and put his hand on my cheek, cupping it.  
“I won't let that happen. I promise, I'll be right there with you. Niall and Liam too. Just think, it's almost the end of the week. You can do this, love.” Great. I was thinking about kissing him again. Kissing him, and him kissing me, pushing me back against a wall, rubbing up against me...I felt myself start to go hard and I jolted myself out of my fantasies.  
“Umm...yeah. Right. Gotta...get breakfast...” I mumbled before hurrying away from Louis. I stumbled a little bit, squinting to see without my glasses. That was embarrassing. I really needed to keep my thoughts to a minimum. But how the hell was I supposed to do that when he was just perfect all the time? Having a crush was complicated.

 

Louis' POV:

I could not think straight all morning. First of all, I had spooned Harry again, which should have been weird considering that I had this huge crush on him and shouldn't have been taking advantage of him in his weakened and tired state, but he needed comfort and didn't protest. And then when I woke up, and he was right there. Literally, our foreheads were touching, our lips only inches apart. The urge to kiss him almost overwhelmed me, but I managed to not do that. That would have been embarrassing. And Harry was just so upset, and I didn't know what to do. Maybe if we were dating, I would have kissed him or something, but we weren't. And probably never would.  
All the way to school, Harry was silent, but I noticed him squinting a lot, like he couldn't see clearly. He almost ran into the door frame on the way into school, which I found cute, but he was embarrassed. As soon as the four of us entered the school hallway, it was dead silent. Liam and Niall went ahead of us, Niall carrying all of Liam's books since he was on crutches, but Harry didn't move. He was frozen to the spot in terror.  
“Come on, Haz, it's OK. I'm right here with you, they won't try anything.” I whispered in his ear, leaning up on my toes to reach. That jolted him into motion, and he quickly walked down the hallway to his locker. He fumbled with the lock, getting his password wrong three times before finally yanking it open.   
“Hey, is something wrong? You seem to, I don't know...it's like you can't see.” I commented, hoping not to trigger something. I had to be careful with Harry, he deserved that as opposed to the normal accusatory tone he got from others.  
“Left my contacts in...they're ruined. I...I have to wear my glasses.” He mumbled, searching his bag and pulling out a glasses case. He then hid behind his locker door, putting them on slowly and sighing. I peeked around the door, but he turned away. “D-don't look at me. I look stupid.” He said in a whisper.   
“I'm sure you look just as good as you always do.” I said without thinking, and then I blushed. Harry was blushing too, I could tell by the way he hid his face in his curls. He turned his head to face me and I swear my heart stopped. He looked so good in glasses...  
“You...you think I look good?” He asked, his voice hopeful, and I nodded, giving him a small smile. He grinned, his dimples popping out, and closed his locker door. “I guess we need to get to class, Coach is going to have our asses for missing so much. I...I'll see you later, Lou.”  
“See you later, Haz,” I said back, and I watched him walk down the hallway. What kind of a person could be more perfect than Harry Styles? I shook my head fondly and walked off to class.

I actually ate lunch in the cafeteria for once. I spotted Harry sitting with Niall and Liam at a small table in the back. Harry looked very nervous and kept chewing on his lip and tugging at his curls. It was kind of hot, but I ignored that, knowing that he was scared. I didn't see Nick, but I knew that he was probably skulking at home or waiting in the halls for Harry. I sat my stuff down in the chair next to Harry and he jumped, only relaxing when he saw it was me.   
“Hey, guys.” They all nodded in greeting and I opened my sandwich. Taking a big bite, I asked, “So, who's ready for the game tonight?” Liam grimaced and Niall just shook his head, but Harry's eyes went wide and his hands started to shake. I put my hand on top of his gently, trying to steady it.  
“It's ok, Hazza, Nick won't be there, remember? He got kicked off the team. You have nothing to worry about.” I said soothingly, but Harry shook his head, and Niall spoke up.   
“We are playing our biggest rivals tonight. We've only ever beaten them one time, and that was a long time ago. They are absolutely ruthless. Harry is right to be scared. Hell, I'm terrified, and I'm just the goalie.” Harry nodded in agreement, and then glanced down at our hands, which were still touching. I pulled my hand away from his sheepishly, trying to hide the blush coating my cheeks. Liam raised his eyebrow at me, but I shot him a look, and asked another question that had been on my mind, now that we were talking about footie.   
“Umm...that reminds me, did anyone ever find Zayn that night?”   
Liam shook his head. “I talked to Coach, and he said that Zayn had eventually called, saying he couldn't make it. But I haven't seen him around school at all. It's like he disappeared.”  
“He'll be back though, right? I know he hasn't been asking for rides to school, but I just figured he was taking the bus or something. He wouldn't ditch his team for one of the biggest games of the year, would he?” I asked, worry filling me. I knew Zayn wouldn't do that...would he?  
“I don't know. It's all very suspicious, but I just decided not to worry about it. There's enough stress happening with this team as it is. We don't need anymore.”  
I just sat silently after Liam stopped talking. He could be so wise sometimes, and it was a little off-putting. Harry was still looking nervously around the cafeteria, and I wanted to comfort him, but I couldn't do anything that wouldn't raise suspicion on my feelings towards Harry. So we all just sat in silence for the rest of lunch, not speaking until the bell rang, where we promised we would meet in the locker room after school. I walked off to class, but my mind was still occupied with thoughts of Zayn. As far I knew, it wasn't like Zayn to miss school or practice. He was very dedicated to getting good grades and being on the footie team. He had told me it was his dream to play on the best team ever, and I didn't doubt that for an instant. But why did everything about the situation feel so weird and tense?

 

Harry POV:

I just wanted to go home. All day, no matter where I went, I got stared at and whispered about. Surprisingly, it didn't sound like mean whispers, more curious than anything. It still made me really self conscious. I had stood up for myself, which was good...but Nick had known about my feelings for Louis. I don't know how, but he did, and he nearly told everyone. If there was one thing I didn't want, it was to be outed again just as I was two years ago. I didn't need any more humiliation.  
On top of that, I was scared for the game. I had completely forgotten about it, in light of all the things that had happened recently, and remembering it now didn't really help my nerves. I managed to get through the day by thinking about Louis, and how amazing and calm he was all the time. It really helped soothe me, and I was almost smiling as I walked to my locker at the end of the day. That is, until I heard a voice from down the hall, and I just wanted to disappear.  
“Styles...surprised you decided to show your face today.” Nick shouted over the crowd, and I began to throw my stuff into my locker as quickly as I could. I knew he was coming towards me, because that's what he always did.  
“Take one more step and you're dead, Grimshaw.” growled a voice from my left, and I whipped around, seeing Niall and Louis standing at my side, protecting me. Behind them was Liam, and the rest of the footie team. My mouth dropped open and Nick halted in the middle of the hallway. I didn't know what to say or do, so I just stood there, trying to look brave.  
“What do you think you're going to do to stop me, Horan?” Nick sneered, trying to shove past them, but Niall and Louis stood their ground. The team surrounded me, as if daring Nick to come closer. Nick just stared at all of them for a few more seconds, before scoffing and turning away.  
“Fine. I never wanted to be on a team with faggots like you anyway.” His friends followed him obediently, and Louis and Niall turned to me. I tackled them both with a one-armed hug each and kept muttering thank-yous to everyone as the team headed down to the locker room as one unit. We didn't have to be there for another couple hours, but for some reason, the whole team was staying in and ordering food to go. We got to the locker room and Niall, Liam, Louis, and I headed for our usual corner. As I passed other members of the team, they said things like, “Really glad you stood up to Grimshaw, good on you, mate,” and “I'm sorry I treated you like shit...I should have never listened to that asshole.” It felt good to be loved by people again...it was starting to be like old times.  
“Where the hell is Zayn?” Louis asked, scanning the locker room, and we all looked around as well. He wasn't anywhere to be seen, and honestly, it was starting to bother me. Zayn didn't miss a match for anything, especially one of this standard. He couldn't resist a chance to beat this team. I stopped worrying about him, however, when the pizza got here, and all of the team dug in. I had about four slices myself, not wanting to overindulge before the game. In the midst of that, I called my mum. I hadn't been home last night, and she was probably worried out of her mind.  
“Harry? Oh baby, are you OK? I've been worried sick about you!” My mum scolded the second she picked up. I blushed in embarrassment.  
“Mum, I'm really sorry. I'm alright. I just...I had a panic attack, and I needed help, and you were at work, so I went to Liam's, and I couldn't leave. I was afraid, Mum.” I confessed, and I could almost see her face soften over the line.  
“Harbear, it's OK, sweetheart. I just wanted to be sure you were with good people. But please, do come home tonight. We need to discuss some things, yeah?”   
I knew exactly what she was referring to, and my hands started to tremble a little bit. “Umm, yeah, sure, Mum. I should go...the team is waiting.”  
“Alright, honey, good luck! I love you!”   
“Love you too. Bye.” I hung up and Niall squeezed me in a hug around my waist.   
“Haz, you and your mom are so adorable.”  
“Shut up and put clothes on, Ni. No one wants to see you in just boxers.” I said, playfully shoving him away. He headed for his bag, and Liam opened his mouth to say something to my comment, but he decided against it and just sat quietly, eating more pizza. I stripped down and started to change, facing away from Louis so in case things happened, he wouldn't notice.  
Coach came into the locker room not long after we had all changed. No one on the team was talking loudly and obnoxiously like we normally did. We were whispering to each other, and it was clear that everyone was nervous.   
“OK, team. I know that this one is going to be a tough one. We have our best defender out and we lost a forward. Lucking, we got Josh back after that shoulder injury, so we should be alright. I just want you guys to play your hardest, and if we beat them, well, we will have a celebration. Best of luck. Hands in, boys.” We all stood and put our hands in, doing the chant and breaking the huddle to head outside. No one spoke as we walked along the side of the field to the bench. The stands were packed full and people screamed and clapped as they saw us. We nodded and all stood around the bench, talking quietly amongst ourselves. The other team, our rivals, stood on the other side of the field in a huddle, discussing tactics. I didn't give much thought to them until their chant sounded across the field and they began walking towards us. We all looked at them warily, and then Louis grabbed my arm tightly. He had seen what I was seeing. No way...there was no fucking way...  
“It can't be...you're seeing this too, right?” Niall whispered, and the entire team stared, dumbstruck, as our rivals approached. Among them, wearing a smug smile and a jersey of opposition, was none other than Zayn.


	17. Chapter 17

Harry's POV:

The entire team gaped at him as he walked over with the other team, and the smile slipped slightly from his face. He looked...almost guilty. But he made no attempt to talk to any of us and just turned away, going with the other team.  
“What the actual fuck...” Louis mumbled under his breath. I was completely speechless. Zayn was a lot of things, maybe a little annoying and too hot for his own good, but a liar and a quitter? No, this wasn't happening. The whole team was murmuring to each other, and even Coach looked like he could go for a drink. Niall was with Liam on the bench, and they were both glaring menacingly at Zayn's back. I was not having this. Not without an explanation. Louis saw what I was about to do and tried to hold me back, but I shrugged him off and stalked over to the other team, tapping Zayn lightly on the shoulder. He turned, his expression becoming pained when he saw that it was me. I motioned for him to step aside, and he did so, reluctantly.  
“What the hell, Zayn?” I exploded. I didn't really mean for it to come out harshly, I was just confused and I needed answers. He looked down at the ground and mumbled,  
“I'm sorry, H. You'll have to forgive me...”   
“No! No, I'm not going to just 'forgive you'. I want answers. Why? Of all the teams you could have joined, why them? And why did you even leave in the first place? It makes no sense. We had a good team going here.”   
Zayn just shook his head. “I can't expect you to understand. I always said I wanted to be on the best team out there...and ours was not the best.”   
“But...this was your last season here! You could have gone off to Uni and played for a good team. And...I don't think we are that bad. We won Nationals two years ago!” I retorted, painfully confused. My heart felt like it was breaking, not in the love way, but in the disappointment way.   
“It just...it wasn't real to me. It didn't feel real. You don't understand.”  
“Yeah...b-but I'm trying to. Why leave in the middle of the season? Wouldn't it have been smarter to quit before the start, or after? It doesn't make any sense, Z. You're letting so many people dow-”  
“Harry, just shut up and go back to your team. I'm not here to explain myself to you or anyone else. Maybe, maybe, we can talk after we win.” I backed a few steps away, tears threatening to spill over. I didn't know why I felt like crying, but I just did. The way he said 'it didn't feel real' really hit me. It was like we weren't good enough for him.   
“Fine. Do whatever you want. I'm done here.” I said, my voice shaking, and I walked back to Louis and the rest of the team as the two minute whistle sounded. They all looked at me, pleading, but I just shook my head. It wasn't worth bothering them with it when we had a game to win.   
“OK, team. Go out there and lets beat those sons of bitches. If Malik wanted to leave us so bad, we have to show him what he's missing, and that is a good team and an even better family. Hands in.” We all thrust our hands in, and I realized how everyone was now looking at me. I gave Coach a confused look, and he just smirked. “You're captain, Styles. Start the chant.” My eyes went wide. I was what?  
“Umm...OK...” I mumbled and I started the chant. Our hands went up and we dashed onto the field, taking up our positions. I looked at Louis on my left, Josh on my right, and then back towards the goal, where Niall was pacing back and forth, running his hands through his hair to get himself pumped. I shot a quick glance at Liam, who was on the bench wearing jeans and his jersey, and he smiled at me, giving me a thumbs up. I turned back to face the lead forward and watched as the ref lifted the whistle to his lips. It was game time.

 

Louis' POV:

The first half of the game was really hard, I have to admit. I kept glancing at Zayn as I scurried past the defenders, trying to get open for Harry or Josh. He seemed focused on what he was doing, but he didn't look extremely happy. I was used to seeing him smile when he played, even if the game was tough. The goalie for the other team was extremely good, and we had only managed to get two goals past him so far. Meanwhile, the opposing forwards showed no mercy, using every loophole in the book to get out of fouls as they tore up and down the field, scoring six goals on Niall. Niall was panicking slightly as we left the field for the half. Liam struggled to his feet and put an arm around Niall, speaking words in his ear that none of us could hear.   
I sat down on the bench and chugged some water, brushing my sweaty fringe out of my face. It was only the half and I was exhausted. The other team really had it in for us, and the crowd was worried, I could tell. They all paced nervously, gripped onto their shirts, and whispered instead of screaming like they usually did.   
“We are getting creamed! We can't let this happen!” Harry grumbled, sitting down hard next to me and drinking the water I passed him.   
“Don't worry, we'll pull ahead, I'm sure of it.” I soothed, trying to be confident, but Harry just shook his head.  
“Fuck, I just...I can't concentrate. Zayn's on the other team, he complete ditched us. In the middle of the fucking season. And I...I'm scared that Nick will show up and try to hurt me...” he admitted in a quiet voice, and I could see the fear in his green eyes as he looked at me. I loved it when I could see his eyes, they were so beautiful. But it also complicated things. I was sure that Harry liked this piano guy, which was me. But he didn't know it was me, and if he found out, he probably wouldn't like me at all. I didn't want that to happen. At the very least, I wanted to be his friend, and I wasn't going to let anything ruin that. I put a hand on his shoulder gently.  
“Nick will not hurt you. Not here, not at school, not anywhere. I will make sure of that. Don't you worry about that. And don't worry about Zayn either. If he wants to leave us in the dust, fine. Let's show him what we've got.” I said forcefully, and Harry's mouth was open, as if in awe of my words. He snapped it shut as I finished speaking and nodded. He then glanced over at Niall and Liam, who were still talking, arms around each other. It looked casual, but also intimate, and I wasn't really sure what to make of it. They confused the hell out of me.   
The two minute whistle sounded, and the team ran to a huddle on the center of our side. Harry looked nervous about speaking to all of them, but suddenly his face morphed into something I had seen only once, and he spoke in a commanding yet kind tone.  
“OK, lads. I know we've got it tough right now. But we have to push through, yeah? Show that team what we're made of. Our job is to keep them away from the goal. Leave the rest to me, Louis, and Josh, and hopefully we can pull through and win this.” The team all nodded and we broke the huddle, running to our positions.   
The moment play began, Harry had the ball and was already halfway up the pitch Josh sprinted up ahead of him while I stayed behind him, in case he needed to backtrack. He headed directly for Zayn, who was defending. Zayn's eyes widened and then narrowed, and he tried to stop Harry. Harry did some fancy footwork that I was pretty sure professional players didn't know how to do, and got past Zayn, a smug smile on his face. He passed to Josh, who scored just barely, and the stands erupted into cheers. Only three more goals to catch up. We could do this.  
It turns out, we actually could do it. The other team was pushing us, but we were not backing down. Niall was becoming more confident after saving a particularly hard shot, and I could hear Liam yelling his head off from the sidelines as Niall prepared to kick the ball back into play. The ball came directly for me, and I bounced it off my chest, taking it up the field with ease. This was one time I was thankful for my size, because it gave me the extra speed and agility I needed to evade the other players. The problem was that the other team had learned to keep blocks on both of my fellow forwards, so I had no one to pass it to. I either had to shoot or get the ball taken from me. I chose to shoot, even though I was basically at half field, and to my absolute astonishment, the ball soared right into the top left corner of the net. Two more to tie now.  
We were all panting and sweating like crazy when five minutes was left on the clock, and we were still down by two. Harry looked about ready to pass out, and I suddenly remembered someone saying something about asthma. I ran over to Harry as we hurried after the other team, and asked breathlessly if he was OK. He nodded, even though his breathing was super labored, and I was worried. I signaled for time out and the whistle blew. Harry stopped running, his hands on his knees, and Niall came running over, along with Josh and the others. He waved them off, telling them that he was fine, but I didn't believe him.   
“Come on, Haz, you need a break. And some water. It's OK, just hold on to me and Niall.” I put an arm around his waist and he tensed a little before Niall put an arm there too, and we guided him off the field, trying to surround him with the other players so that he wouldn't be embarrassed. We sat down with him and I dove for his bag. He had to have one in here somewhere. I smiled grimly as my hand closed around something cool and plastic, and I pulled out the inhaler, taking it to him and holding it out. Harry shook his head.  
“I...don't get...anymore...m'fine...”  
“No, you're not. Just take it, please. It will help.” I pleaded, opening his hand and placing it on his palm. His fingers closed around it and he took a quick hit. His cheeks became a little less red and he breathed a sigh of relief.   
“Good...m'good. Let's go. We have to win this.” He mumbled, standing back up and hurrying back onto the field. I looked worriedly at Niall, and then at Liam, but Liam just shook his head.  
“He's stubborn as shit, just let him play. If he passes out, we'll help him.” I didn't like that idea at all, but Harry was right. We needed to win. I could see the other team looking up at the score, happy grins on their faces. They thought they were going to win. No way in hell was I going to let the team that Zayn abandoned us for beat us.   
Play resumed, and Harry, Josh, and I were in the zone. Nothing and nobody got past us. We worked as a seamless team, finally tying the score with one minute left on the clock. The other team's coach was looking really worried now, and I grinned. He should be worried. Harry called our last time out and we all huddled around him. His curls were everywhere and his cheeks were flushed a deep pink, and I tried to ignore all the blood in my body rushing downstairs. Now was not the time for an awkward boner.  
“One more shot. That's all I need. Can you guys give me that?” Harry asked simply, and the team all murmured their assent. Harry nodded and we broke the huddle again. Harry signaled to me and Josh, and my eyes got wide. He was seriously suggesting the one maneuver that we had never practiced before. But we had no choice. The other team knew all of our tricks...this was our last shot, no pun intended.   
The whistle blew and Harry kicked the ball off to the side to Josh. Josh and I both tore up the field, Harry lagging behind, but staying in the middle of the field, in perfect line for the goal. Josh passed cross field to me quickly, and I got it. I could see Zayn coming up to block me, and I acted as though I was going to go for the shot. The other three forwards rushed for me, and I kicked the ball backwards instead, right into Harry's waiting feet. Harry swung his leg back and hammered his foot into the ball, just as the clock hit 0. The whole crowd rose in a wave and we all froze as the ball soared through the air...and right into the net. The crowd went ballistic, and I literally yelled in triumph. Josh and I converged on Harry, hugging the life out of him. He seemed stunned, and kept mouthing the words 'I did it'. Suddenly the whole team was there, even the benched players and Coach, and we were all yelling hoarsely, pounding each other on the back and hugging. We had done it. We had beat them.  
As our team made our way back over to the bench, I chanced a glance over at the other team, who just looked shocked as their coach lead them away. Zayn was just standing there, looking at us longingly, but I turned away as we made eye contact. He deserved this. He was the one who left us.  
“Lads, that was an excellent game. This team has come a long way... we might even have a shot at Nationals again. I am so proud!” We all yelled again and the crowd was chanting the team name. Everyone was happy. I looked around for Harry, but he was gone. That confused me. He was always right behind me or with Niall. I turned to Liam and mouthed 'Where's Harry'? He shrugged and looked around. Upon not seeing him, his face masked into worry and he called Niall over. He whispered to Niall what was happening, and then Niall took advantage of his loud voice.   
“Hey, has anyone seen Harry?” The team went oddly silent, looking around at their ranks and realizing that the captain of the team was missing. Everyone started calling his name, but no one answered. Now I was starting to panic a little. Harry never just disappeared, ever.  
“Maybe he's back in the locker room already. Come on, let's go. He's probably there.” Niall said, but he seemed to be trying to convince himself more than any of us. We all just nodded nervously and headed back to the locker room. When we finally got in there, it was to see that Harry's bag was still there, and so were all of his clothes and school books. He hadn't come back in here. So he had to be outside still. But why would he leave?  
“Guys...what if he's in trouble? We...we have to look for him.” I said seriously, but Liam bit his lip.  
“I...I can't. I'm on crutches...I'll just slow you guys down. Go without me, please.” Niall and I both began to protest, but he shut us up with a glare and we reluctantly agreed. Liam turned to go, but he added one more thing in an undertone.   
“Bring him home.”

________________

Niall and I didn't bother changing, just shoving our normal clothes into our bags and going back out to the field. It was oddly quiet with everyone gone, but that would make it easier to find Harry. We split up, me going towards the parking lot, and Niall towards the bleachers. We called Harry's name, our voices getting quieter as we walked away from each other, but no one answered. I pulled out my phone and started checking under cars, and in the toilets, but still no one. I got a quick text from Niall saying he came up empty as well, and I sighed, running my hand through my hair. We were going to find him if it took all night. He couldn't have gotten far, if he had indeed just run off, but I had a bad feeling. I told Niall I would meet him at the light and headed towards the end of the parking lot. As I was making my way, I tripped over something, and landed on my face. Groaning, I turned to see what I had tripped on, and I swallowed. It was a cleat...one of Harry's. I picked it up and started walking around slower, looking as far as I could with my phone light. I slowly approached the dumpsters and that's when I heard it. It was very very faint, but still there...whimpering breaths. I turned my phone on to full brightness and rounded the corner of the dumpster, and my heart stopped.  
“NIALL! FUCK, NI, GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE NOW!”


	18. Chapter 18 *Trigger*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains rape. You may feel uncomfortable or it may be a trigger.

Harry's POV:

I needed to get away from everyone. I smiled a true smile as the team surrounded me, because yes, I was happy that we had won. But I kept seeing Zayn looking over at us with an almost sad expression on his face, and I couldn't take it. The anger that I had expressed towards him earlier was still there, but now there was the weight of sadness and disappointment. As the team walked as a group back to the bench, I slipped away and ran off to the bathroom, tears threatening to spill over. God, I was such a loser...why did I cry over everything? I closed the door to the portable toilet and leaned my head against the wall, trying to ignore the smell. A few tears ran down my cheeks, and I didn't bother to wipe them away. I just couldn't understand why Zayn would leave. It made no sense. Did he even care about the friends he had made on this team, at this school? I bit down hard on my lip and tried to stop crying. Fine. If Zayn wanted to leave, whatever. I would get over it eventually. I wiped my eyes and unlocked the door to the bathroom.   
I had taken one step when I was suddenly yanked out of the portable toilet, someone's hand going over my eyes. I tried to yell for help, but someone stuck a sock in my mouth, while someone else grabbed my arms and pinned them tightly to my sides. The three people manhandled me, carrying me bodily to somewhere even as I struggled. What the fuck was happening? Didn't anyone see what was happening? I started to panic, and I forced myself to think of Louis to keep me calm. I could still hear, and I strained my ears. The noise of the crowd was getting farther and farther away, and I could hear cars. The parking lot. I tried to drag my feet to make whomever had me go slower, but all it got me was a loss of a cleat and more rough shoving.   
I was suddenly thrown roughly to the ground and I slid a little, small stones scraping at my exposed arms and legs. I groaned in pain through my gag, and then the hand over my eyes left. I looked blearily around and saw three guys with black masks on hovering over me. I scrambled backwards, trying to stand and escape, but they weren't letting me go that easy. Someone behind me pushed me back down and I whimpered as a spare piece of glass sliced into my palm.   
“It's time we finally taught you a lesson. You're not getting away this time, Styles.” growled a voice in my ear, and I shivered. I recognized that voice slightly, and I was starting to realize what was going on. One of the guys took my hands and yanked them behind me, tying them with some sort of rope. I struggled and tried to yell through the sock in my mouth, but it was no use. The three of them kept looking around nervously, as though afraid of getting caught, and then the one in the middle took off his mask. My eyes grew wide and I struggled even more. But he just crouched down in front of me and spoke to me in a seductive voice.   
“You know you've always wanted this, Harry, and so do I. I'm gonna fuck you so hard you won't know what hit you. And that's a promise.” Tears filled my eyes, and I looked around frantically, but we were behind a dumpster, and no one could see us. No one was coming to help me.   
“Nowhere to run, Styles.” Nick whispered as he moved closer to me, running his hands through my hair. I moved my head away from him, but he grabbed my hair and yanked me back to face him. I'll be the first to admit that I liked it when people pulled on my curls while making out with me, but this hurt like hell, and I knew what was going to happen. I didn't want it. I was a virgin, despite what a lot of people thought, and I had wanted my first time to be with someone I loved. Someone like Louis.  
Nick ran his hands under my shirt and rubbed himself up against me, while the two other guys began taking off their pants. One of the guys came and yanked the sock out of my mouth, but as I opened my mouth to scream, the guy literally shoved his dick between my lips and slammed into my mouth. I choked, my eyes watering profusely, and I tried to pull away from him, but he grabbed the back of my neck and fucked into my mouth. Now tears were running down my cheeks and I struggled feebly, but it was no good. They had too tight of a hold on me. Much to my dismay, I could feel myself going hard. I couldn't help myself, and that only made me cry harder. The person above me groaned, coming into my mouth, and I tried to spit it out, but he clamped his hands around my mouth and growled   
“Swallow it, bitch.” I just did as I was told, as if I had any choice in the matter. I wanted to yell for help, but my voice didn't work. My throat felt raw and there was a horrible taste in my mouth. I coughed, and someone smacked me across the face, earning a cry from me.  
“If you don't keep quiet, I'll do much worse.” Nick grumbled in my ear as he got behind me, discarding his shorts and boxers, and yanking mine down with one hand. With his free hand, he groped me, stroking me forcefully until I was fully hard, as much as I tried to avoid it. By now I was sobbing uncontrollably, willing anyone to walk around the corner and save me. But it was silent other than the grunts of the guys as they whispered to each other, keeping watch. Nick slammed himself into me, no prep, no nothing, and I let out a muffled scream of pain, keeping my jaw clamped shut. I didn't need worse than this...but how could it get worse?  
Nick continued to thrust into me, and I could have sworn I was bleeding badly, but I was in too much pain to check.  
“When I tell you to come, you come. No earlier, no later. Understand, fag?” I nodded weakly. My vision was going hazy, I was in so much pain and I didn't know how to make it stop. Nick thrusted faster and faster, and then he hissed the word in my ear, and I reluctantly came onto his hand. It was weak, but it was there, and it took him over the edge. He released himself into me, and I just lay limp on top of him. I could barely stay conscious, but my weakness earned me another slap, and then a few kicks as Nick pulled out of me and grabbed his clothes, pulling them on quickly. He didn't bother to cover me back up, but he did deliver a few blows to my body, smirking as he did so. I just took it, crying harder than ever. His friends were still keeping watch, and one of them motioned. Nick got down on his knees and shoved my head back into the dumpster, making me look into his eyes.  
“You will never speak of this. Ever.” He shoved my head back again and they hurried away, leaving me bruised and bleeding against the dumpster. I tried to breathe, but my lungs protested and my throat burned. I could feel myself losing consciousness, but as I was going out, I thought I heard voices...maybe Louis? No...it was too late...Louis wasn't coming to save me this time. With tears still pouring down my cheeks, my vision faded to black, and I passed out. 

 

Louis POV:

I kept yelling for Niall and I crouched down next to Harry's limp body. By the light of my phone, I could see that his curly hair was caked with blood and there were bruises forming all over his arms. His lower half was...uncovered, and I tried not to look for his sake. I could feel something warm and sticky on my knees, and I had a horrible feeling I knew what it was. I didn't know whether I could touch him, or if I should move him at all. I crawled closer to him and set my phone down, trying to ignore the warm substance all over my hands, and I touched his shoulder, scared out of my mind.  
Niall came running around the corner of the dumpster and gaped at the scene before him, not sure what to do with himself. His eyes were glassy, like he was going to cry, but he held it back and pulled out his phone.  
“I'm calling Coach...We have to get him home, now.”  
“Ni, what do I do...can I touch him? Should we move him...I...” I stuttered, panicking. Harry...my Harry, had been attacked, or something much worse, I didn't even want to think about what could have caused this. My heart was racing and my breathing was getting quick. I had never had a panic attack before, but this seemed like the beginning of one. Apparently, Niall saw what was happening, because he got down on his knees next to me and put his hand on my shoulder.  
“Lou, you can't do this now. Harry needs you. We need to keep him safe.” Niall held his phone tightly to his ear, but it went to voice mail and Niall hung up. “Fuck it. We don't have time to call anyone. We are going to have to carry him home.”  
“We could hurt him! He's not even conscious...oh, god Niall, what happened to him?” I said in a choked voice. I had tears in my eyes. I didn't show emotion. Never ever did I show any type of sadness. But looking down at Harry's broken form, I felt my heart breaking. “OK...OK, let's do this. Umm...can you...get his clothes on?” I asked, but Niall was back on the phone, talking to someone. I sighed and pulled his pants up, noticing the dark stains on the satin shorts and on my hands. I winced at the sight and tried to breathe evenly. Niall was right. I could not have a panic attack now...I had to be strong. I lifted Harry half into my arms and looked to Niall for help. He threw his phone into his pocket and helped me stand, supporting Harry along with me. He was complete dead weight, but with both of us, it wasn't too hard to move him. We tried to be gentle as we hurried from the parking lot and onto the sidewalk.  
“I...called his mom...she will be...waiting for us...” Niall panted as we made our way up the street. I could barely see where I was going through the tears that I was holding back. I didn't want to appear weak in front of Niall, who had a completely straight face as he struggled to hold Harry up with me.  
Five minutes later, we reached the house, and Anne came sprinting into the yard, seeing our struggle. She helped lift her son up, and we got him inside and on the couch. That's when I finally saw the complete damage. Harry's normally fluffy hair was caked with dried blood, and his arms and legs were bruised. Where his shirt rode up, I could see more bruising on his ribs, and his shorts were soaked in scarlet. Anne ran from the room to get towels and water, her face expressionless, as though she was trying to remain strong for us. I knew she was terrified. If I was scared, she had to be. This was her son. She came back and Niall pulled me back from Harry as Anne began to wipe his face off and inspect his body. She listened to his heart and his breathing, and then grabbed the phone, calling someone.   
I looked down at myself and saw red staining my knees, jersey, and hands. Harry's blood. So much blood...   
“Whoa...Lou, you're OK, come and sit down...” I heard Niall's voice as though it was far away, and I was guided to a chair, which I sat in numbly. I was biting down so hard on my lip to keep from crying that I could taste the blood. Niall crouched down in front of me and looked me right in the eyes. I knew that my eyes would betray the feelings that I was holding inside, and I looked away from him. He pulled my face back to face his and said, his voice shaking a little,  
“Louis. Don't try to be a man here. You're allowed to cry...please don't hold back on me, it's scary.”   
The tears I had been holding back this whole time slipped onto my cheeks, and my whole body started to shake. Niall looked uncomfortable and scared, but he wrapped me in his arms and I held him to me, crying my eyes out. He kept muttering words of comfort to me, trying to calm me down, but I couldn't relax. This was the first time since my dad left that I had cried real tears, and it was just like before. Once I started, I couldn't stop.   
“Ni...what if he dies...I...I can't lose him...please tell me h-he'll be alright...” Niall sighed and hugged me tightly, and I raised my head, both of us watching Anne as she fussed over Harry, cleaning him up and speaking rapid fire into the phone.  
“I don't know...Louis, I don't know if he'll be OK... something horrible happened here...I don't know how he will handle it if...I mean, when, he wakes up.” I bit down on my lip as fresh tears rolled down my cheeks. I turned away as Anne undressed her son and inspected him. I could hear her talking into the phone, and she murmured the one word I had been fearing this entire time...rape.  
As soon as the word was out of her mouth, it made perfect sense. That's why he was bleeding so much, why he was left behind a dumpster. God, I should have known. I could have saved him. I sniffed and pulled myself together. I was not going to cry any more. Niall was being strong, I could be too.  
“Niall, sweetie, I need you to fetch some sweats and some new underwear and a shirt from Harry's room, please. Quickly as you can, now,” Anne said in a slightly choked voice, and Niall patted my shoulder before hurrying up the stairs. Anne looked at me, and I looked right back at her. Not a word was said, but a silent promise was made...we would talk about this later. Harry was the main concern right now.  
Niall came bounding back down the stairs, clothes in hand, and he handed them to Anne. She in turn tossed them to me.  
“Louis, can you please dress him for me? I need to make some calls.” She hurried away into the kitchen, already dialing away on her phone. I swallowed hard and, without looking at him too much, I began to dress Harry, pulling on loose-fitting boxers and baggy sweats. I didn't want to try with the shirt, in case he had a head injury, so I just left him shirtless. As I finished dressing him, I brushed his matted curls out of his eyes and looked down at his pale face.  
“Fuck, Hazza, I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry.” I pressed my lips to his sweaty forehead, praying that he would show some sign of life, but I got nothing except a small gasp from behind me. I turned slowly and saw Anne looking at me, her eyes shining with tears, but they didn't seem like sad tears. More like tears of joy. I backed away from Harry as she placed blankets on him and a pillow behind his head, and collapsed into a chair. Niall was sitting in the other chair across the room, staring at the wall with a blank expression, his phone in his hand.   
“Do you boys need anything? Food, water?” Anne asked, and I almost started crying again against my will. Her son had just been raped and carried home, and here she was looking after us.  
I shook my head, and then the doorbell rang. Niall got up quickly and reentered the room moments later with Liam. Niall must have texted him, or maybe Anne called him. I don't know, and I didn't want to ask. I didn't want to do anything other than cry.  
Liam looked over at Harry's form on the couch, his eyes brimming with unsure tears, and Niall pulled him into a hug as well. They clung to each other for a long while, and I could see Niall shaking...Niall was crying now too. I just stayed where I was, holding it in. Niall guided Liam to the chair he had been previously sitting in and helped him sit down, then settled between Liam's legs and leaned his head back. We were all exhausted, it was late, and we weren't going anywhere. So with that, I turned my head away from Harry and fell into an uneasy sleep.


	19. Chapter 19

Louis' POV:

I don't know if I actually fell asleep, or if I just had terrifying nightmares that kept me in a permanent state of limbo. All I know is that I was jolted from my 'sleep' as a loud, piercing scream broke the silence. I glanced at my phone, which read 4:18 AM and rubbed at my eyes blearily. I could hear Liam and Niall groaning, trying to wake up and figure out what the fuck was going on. There were footsteps on the stairs and Anne came running into the room. I finally had cleared my mind and turned to see that Harry was wide awake, and screaming his head off, seemingly terrified. I jumped to my feet, seeing Niall doing the same, and Anne rushed over to her son.  
“Harry, can you hear me? Honey, it's OK...” She reached out to comfort him and he cowered away from her, his whole body shaking uncontrollably and tears streaming down his face. Anne tried again to touch him, but his screams elevated to the next level of volume, his face twisting in pain as he tried everything to get as far away from her as possible. Niall looked down at Harry, his face impassive, and he too reached out towards his best friend, but Harry looked more terrified than ever, and Niall backed away quickly. I was afraid to go near him, he looked so fragile and scared.   
“He's in shock...we need to back away from him...let him get back to reality...” Anne whispered, and without another word, the three of us backed away from Harry. He stopped screaming after a moment, but was whimpering and crying harder than ever. His eyes were blown wide and he didn't seem to see us. It was more like he was reliving whatever had happened to him. My heart ached to see him in such pain, but I couldn't do anything to help him. I sat back down in my chair, shocked and scared by what I was witnessing. Niall came over to me and hugged me.  
“He'll be OK, Lou. He's at least awake. That's more than we could have hoped for. Let's just..relax. Get some food, yeah?”  
“Yeah...come on, Louis. I'll help make breakfast.” Liam said, and he stood up from his seated position, only wobbling a bit as he reached for his crutches. Niall pulled me to my feet and we all headed into the kitchen, leaving Anne to be alone with her son. My chest felt like it had a thousand pounds pressing down on it, but I ignored the pain and tried to act normal. Well, as normal as I could, with my crush in the other room freaking out. The pain was the price I payed for keeping my emotions inside, and I was very used to it.   
“OK, what do you all want to eat?” Liam asked, keeping his voice relatively even as he opened the cabinets and looked back at me.  
“Nothing. M'fine.” I mumbled, looking at the floor.  
“You're not fine, Lou, none of us are. But we have to eat. We need to stay healthy so we can help him. You want to help Harry, don't you?” Niall asked, not letting his gaze waver from me. I nodded quickly and reluctantly wandered over to the cabinets, looking for something small. I found a box of crackers and pulled them out, nibbling on a few. It was all my stomach could take, because it was churning with worry and fear, but I tried to keep eating anyway. Niall cooked up some eggs and served Liam at the table. I sat down with them, and we ate in silence. None of us really knew quite what to say, and I personally knew that if I tried to talk, I would break down again, and I could not allow that to happen. 

________________

About two hours later, judging by the clock on the stove, Anne came into the room, her face pale, but a small smile on her face.  
“He's...well, I think he knows where he is now. He seems to know who I am, which is a good thing. But he hasn't said a word, and he still won't let me touch him in any way. He needs to know that we aren't going to hurt him, but I'm really at a loss to see how we can convince him of that if we can't go near him. I've gotten nowhere.” She sighed and went to the fridge to grab some milk. The three of us looked at each other, not quite sure what to do. If Anne couldn't get anything out of Harry, no one could. Suddenly, Niall spoke up.  
“Louis.”  
“What?” I asked, confused.  
“No, I mean...you should try. He trusts you a lot, and you've helped him out of panic attacks before...maybe he will let you touch him.” Niall blushed, but Liam nodded.  
“Niall's right, Lou. You should go in there.”  
I hesitated, remembering the look of horror on Harry's face as he looked at me mere hours before, but I wanted to help him, even if I was scared.  
“I can try...but you guys have to come in with me, just in case he...gets scared again, because I won't know what to do.” They nodded and we all stood up, looking at Anne for approval.  
“If you can help him, do whatever you have to do.” She said, nodding towards the door way. Niall hooked his arm around Liam's waist, so that Liam wouldn't have to bother with crutches, and we made our way carefully into the room. I couldn't see Harry because the couch was facing away from the door, but I could hear his ragged breathing, and I got nervous all over again. Niall and Liam stopped short of the couch and motioned me forward.  
“It's best if he only sees you, too many people could overwhelm him...” Liam whispered softly, and I nodded, moving forward so that, as I walked around the couch, Harry would have full view of who was coming. His eyes were wide open and glassy, and he was curled up in an odd fetal-like position. His eyes landed on me and he flinched, but I tried not to let it bother me. I crouched down so that my eyes were on the same level as his. I could see how scared he was, and it scared me too. The look in his eyes wasn't just sad...it was completely broken. It took all of my willpower not to break down in front of him. What had they done to him?  
“Hey, Hazza. It's Louis. You recognize me, right?” I asked quietly. Harry just looked blankly at me, sniffing quietly. I scooted a little closer to the edge of the couch and he tried to move away, grimacing in pain. I pulled back a little, my nerves getting the better of me, but I took a breath to steady myself.  
“Haz, I'm not going to hurt you, I promise.” I said in a soothing voice, putting my hand on the edge of the couch. I noticed that my hand was trembling, and I wish it wasn't, but I couldn't stop it. I was terrified of hurting him or making him have some sort of flashback or panic attack. His gaze flicked towards my hand and then he looked right back at me, almost confused. I moved my hand slightly towards his, and he flinched back. I closed my eyes to calm myself, and moved my hand a little closer, looking directly into his eyes.  
“I won't hurt you. You can trust me.” My fingers were mere millimeters from his, and this time, he didn't move back. His eyes followed my hand as I grazed my fingertips lightly over his. Then, to my very great surprise, he started moving his hand towards mine, until I was basically holding his hand. I smiled a little bit.  
“See, you're safe here. No one will hurt you.” He didn't smile, or nod, or acknowledge at all that he had heard what I said, but his eyes looked a little less scared, and he wasn't pulling his hand away from mine. I desperately wished that he would say something, or nod or shake his head, but I didn't want to push him. Letting me touch him was a huge step, considering what he had been like a few hours ago. I felt tears prick in my eyes, but I swallowed hard and held them back. I leaned my head down and brushed my lips against Harry's knuckles, and his eyes closed momentarily. As I pulled away, I looked over at Liam and Niall, who were sharing a smile as they watched me. I blushed and let Harry's hand go. He stared at his hand, seemingly confused by the lack of contact, but then pulled it back to his chest, his eyes drooping. I stepped away from him and walked over to Niall and Liam, leading them back into the kitchen before saying anything.   
“He didn't say anything. I didn't get a nod or anything like that. But he let me hold his hand. He actually moved his hand into mine. So I guess I got somewhere.” I said in a quiet voice. “He's really tired, or so it seemed, so I think we should just let him sleep.”  
Liam and Niall nodded, and then looked at each other before leaning forward on the table and fixing me with a knowing stare.  
“So...we kind of assumed this, considering some of the recent events, but we feel the need to confirm this...you do like Harry, right?” I looked at them skeptically, not saying anything at first. I had not expected them to ask me that. Considering what was going on with Harry at the moment, I figured that any possibility of us talking about it was gone. I wasn't ashamed to admit I had feelings for Harry, not at all. But maybe...I could use this to my advantage.  
“Well, here, let's make a deal. I'll tell you the answer to your question, but on one condition. You guys tell me what the hell is going on between you two.” Niall and Liam shot a look at one another and looked back at me, slightly nervous. I felt smug, and I sat back in my chair, watching as they struggled silently, debating whether or not to take me up on my offer. Finally, Liam turned back to me and sighed.  
“OK. OK...umm, well, I guess...I really don't know where to start...” he stumbled over his words, blushing. I raised my eyebrows, having never seen Liam blush before. He looked at Niall, who smiled encouragingly, and Liam took in a deep breath. “Niall and I...I mean, we...we're dating.” He took Niall's hand in his for emphasis, as though he needed to reassure himself that he was saying the right thing. A small smile made its way onto my face. I had guessed that it was something like that, but I didn't want to make Liam feel bad, so I let him have his moment. He looked so much more relaxed now that he had said it, and Niall was practically glowing.  
“How long?” I asked, trying not to let my laughter sneak into my voice.   
“Umm...bout three weeks now...” Niall answered. Oh, now they were both blushing. It was sickeningly cute.   
“Well, I guess that makes sense. Have you told Harry?”  
“Not exactly...we didn't want to tell him because...he might get jealous.” Niall answered, and he earned a wide eyed stare from Liam.  
“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked, slightly confused.  
“Ah, but you haven't answered our question yet, young Louis. Do you or do you not have the biggest fucking crush on one Harry Styles?” Liam asked, completely ignoring my question. I rolled my eyes, but a deal was a deal.  
“Yes, shit, yes of course I do! How could I not like Harry? He's just...perfect.” Liam and Niall both made faces at me, and now I was blushing. “Sorry, I shouldn't have put it that way...but it's the truth. He's just so sweet and he cares about everyone, and even though he was a bit shy at first, he just had my attention from the start. But I never did anything about it because he never seemed to like me like that.”  
Now Liam and Niall were chuckling. “Oh, Louis, how blind you have been!” Niall said in a dramatic voice.  
“Seriously, Lou, he's like the most obvious person on the planet. He's...well, he's basically in love with you.” Liam added, biting his lip as if unsure whether he should have told me that. I felt almost elated at that news. Harry liked me? It was almost too good to be true. But as I thought about it more, my heart sank. Harry had been taken advantage of in the worst possible way only hours ago. He was afraid to let people anywhere near him. He barely let me hold his hand, so how in the world was I supposed to have any type of relationship with him? Liam must have noticed my expression, because he leaned across the table and put his hand on my shoulder.  
“He'll get better. I promise you, he will. And then you guys can be together. I know that he wants that more than anything. This is just a setback.” Niall nodded in agreement, and I just sat there, lost in thought.  
“Boys...I hate to do this to you, but I know how Coach is about missing classes, and someone needs to tell him what happened...so I think you should go to school...” Anne said, coming into the kitchen, dressed and ready for the day. I almost began to protest, but Niall interrupted me  
“Of course, Anne. Call us if anything happens.”   
She nodded, but as she turned to head towards the other room, she added, “And I think all three of your families should know what's going on, just in case you want to stay with him through the weekend. They are probably worried. I called last night and told them all where you were, but I didn't let any details roam around.” We all nodded and headed out into the hallway. That's when I realized that we were all still in our footie uniforms, and mine had dried blood all over it.  
“Don't worry, I'm sure Harry has clothes you can borrow. I'll go grab you some.” Niall offered, dashing up the stairs as Liam pulled on a sweatshirt and picked up his crutches.   
“I'm really sorry...” I mumbled to Liam, and he looked over at me, confused.  
“What do you have to be sorry about?”   
“I just...I feel like I could have prevented this. Maybe if I had talked to him about liking him earlier, or kept a better eye on him during the game, I might have even been able to stop Zayn from leaving, and then Harry wouldn't have been so upset. I don't know...I just feel responsible and I don't know how to stop it...” My voice cracked, but I bit down hard on my lip to keep from crying. Liam moved closer to me and pulled me into a one-armed hug. I was shocked by his gesture, but I hugged him back all the same.   
“This was not your fault, Lou. None of us could have seen this coming. There's nothing we could have done. And Zayn wasn't your fault either. He didn't want to be on our team, and that's his loss. You couldn't have changed his mind, not if he wanted out badly enough to transfer schools months from graduation. Our job now is to find the bastards that did this to him, and make them pay.” Liam's voice was shaking a little, but he seemed determined, and that helped a little. I let him go as Niall came back down the stairs, holding some skinny jeans and a t-shirt that looked about three sizes too big.  
“It's all I could find that might fit you...hurry up and get changed, or we'll be late.”  
I nodded, grabbed the clothes, and hurried to the bathroom, stripping out of my dirty uniform. I felt sick as I saw all the blood on my clothes, but I tried not to think about it. I pulled on Harry's jeans, struggling a bit to get them over my bum...damn, Harry must suffocate in these things! I glanced down and almost smirked, looking down at where my feet were supposed to be. They were completely covered by the jeans. I sat down and started cuffing the jeans until I could see my feet, and then slipped the shirt on over my head. My hair was a mess and I looked tiny in these clothes, but I didn't have much of a choice. I swished my fringe to one side messily and walked out, folding my messy uniform. Anne was standing by the door, holding her hands out for my clothes. I hesitated, but she just took them from me and smiled kindly.  
“I'll wash these for you. I'm assuming you're coming back, after you talk to your parents?”  
“Umm, yeah. I'll talk to my mom. She'll understand.” I answered, not bothering to correct her in her mentioning of 'parents'. I mean, I had a stepdad, but he wasn't my real father, and I was still getting used to calling him a parent. I could see from the doorway of the house that Niall had his arm around Liam's waist, and I almost smiled. They deserved to be happy. They were way ahead of me, already down the street a ways, but I didn't have to walk fast to catch up, considering Liam was on crutches. I walked next to them, keeping pace with Liam, but I kept looking back in the direction of Harry's house. I could not stop thinking about him, and I just wanted to know who had done it to him. Because, when I found out who it was, shit would go down.


	20. Chapter 20

Louis' POV:

At school, I just felt awkward. Everyone looked at us funny when we walked in, due to the fact that Niall was still in his footie uniform and I was in clothes three sizes too big. Whispers went around. Most people knew that Harry was usually with us, and they were all wondering where he was. It was a drastic change from when I first arrived here, when everyone was talking negatively about Harry and not caring if he heard or not. I was skeptical of everyone though, and kept my gaze shifting from one person to the next. Any one of these people could have done this to Harry and I didn't know which one. Niall and Liam seemed to be thinking along the same lines, as their heads kept darting around, scoping everyone out. I noticed that Niall didn't have his arm around Liam anymore, and they were casually keeping distance between them as they walked. I guess they hadn't talked about coming out yet.  
I reached my locker and gathered all of my books for the morning, waving goodbye to Niall and Liam, whose lockers were down the next hallway. I sighed, looking at myself in the window as I closed my locker. My eyes had bags under them, my hair was a mess, and I looked like a child in Harry's clothes.   
“Looking a little rough this morning, Tomlinson.” said a voice behind me, and I jumped about a foot before seeing that it was Coach.   
“Umm...yeah, it was a long night...wait, what are you doing up here?” I asked, confused. Coach scratched the back of his neck.  
“Well, I just wanted to know if you had any luck in finding Styles. I know you and Horan went looking for him last night after the game.”  
I swallowed hard, remembering in vivid detail the moment I had found Harry.  
“He...he...” I stuttered out, trying to find the right words. Coach gripped my arm and made me look at him, and for the first time in my life, I saw fear in his eyes.  
“What happened to him, Louis?” he inquired, and I flinched. He never used first names unless it was very serious business.  
“I...I found him...behind the dumpster...he...he got...” I tried, I really did try to say it, but I couldn't force myself. Coach's face went slack as he realized what I was trying to get at, and he let me go, looking horrified. I held back the new tears that threatened to spill over and said, in a choked voice, “Niall and I...got him home. No sign of the people who left him there...but he's...he won't talk, he barely lets anyone near him, with the exception of me, and even that is limited. I don't even know if he can walk. I...I'm sorry...”   
Coach just looked at me, not knowing quite what to say, and I bit down on my lip, keeping my tears at bay. He ran a hand through his buzzed hair and said finally,  
“Well...thank you for informing me...I suppose we will have to find a new forward now...just make sure he gets better. He didn't deserve this, and I know that you can make him better. He's quite fond of you, you know.” I mentally face-palmed. Coach had known too? Why the hell was I the oblivious one here? Coach gave me a small smile before departing, and I hurried to music as the bell rang, signaling the start of what was going to be a very long day. 

________________

It was lunch, and I was running in the opposite direction from the cafeteria. I did not want to go in there. Everyone, and I mean everyone, kept asking me where Harry was. And I had to keep lying and tell them that he was just sick, and needed a day off. I couldn't take it. Every time someone mentioned his name, my heart would clench and I would have to hold back tears. I didn't want to be around people. I burst through the door to the choral room, not even caring if someone heard or saw me. I sat with my back against the door and broke down, sobbing into my knees. There wasn't a single other person in the room, and I was sure that I was having a real panic attack right now. I didn't know what to do, so I just let myself cry, thinking of Harry smiling and us playing footie together, and all the good memories I could think of. It took a while, but eventually my breathing got steadier and my tears stopped.  
After I had finally calmed myself down, I wiped my eyes and stood up, heading over to the piano. Before Zayn left, he told me about his secret hiding place for his music, which was in the piano bench. Quite clever, considering that no one ever even bothered to look inside it. I opened it and pulled out the first couple pages, which had notes, words, and all sorts of other stuff scribbled all over it. It was a piece I had started working on when I first started liking Harry. I wasn't all that great at writing actually music, but words and playing the music, I could do, so Zayn had been helping me with the melody. I put the papers on the piano and opened up the keys, running my fingers over them. I placed my hands on the keys and played the chords slowly, making sure that I knew them, and then I started adding in the lyrics, getting lost in the music.

I feel like I'm dreaming,   
Oh, so I know, I know, I know, I know  
That I'm never leavin, no,   
I won't go  
Don't forget where you belong,  
Home,  
Don't forget where you belong,  
Home,  
If you ever feel alone,  
Don't,  
You are never on your own,  
And the proof is in this song.

I closed my eyes and kept singing that part over and over, not noticing that the door was opening, and two people were staring at me.  
“Lou...your voice is amazing!”   
I jumped five feet and whipped my hands off the piano, looking around wildly. Liam and Niall were making their way into the room. It took all my willpower not to burst into tears and run from the room. This was supposed to be a secret...no one could know about my music. But I couldn't move. I was literally frozen on the bench as Niall and Liam walked towards me.  
“No...you guys can't be here...you can't know about this, about me...” I stuttered, looking down at my lap so that they wouldn't see my embarrassment.  
“But Louis...you...you can sing. Your voice is like a fucking angel. Did you write this piece yourself?” Niall commented, reaching over my shoulder and looking at the music. I reached out weakly for it, but I couldn't make myself take it from him.  
“I...” I gasped out, biting down on my lip again. I could feel the panic building in my chest. I didn't want to have another panic attack, the one I had just had was scary as fuck. Liam was smiling, looking over Niall's shoulder at the music, but when he looked up, his smile disappeared and he hopped over to the piano, sitting down next to me and putting his arm around me.  
“Lou...Louis, it's OK, you don't need to be embarrassed. Lots of people are musicians. Music is a part of you, that's not a bad thing.”  
“But...I just...no one understands me and my music. No one ever did, and I just didn't want anyone to find out what my escape was...I'm s-sorry...” I gasped out, clinging to Liam and trying to wipe away my tears. I didn't want to be weak. I hated being weak.  
“Louis, in case you didn't know, we do music too, Liam and I. And...and Harry as well.” Niall said softly, handing me back my music, which I took with trembling hands. My eyebrows knitted in confusion and I looked at Liam for confirmation. He nodded, smiling lightly.  
“We don't get to practice very often, but Niall plays guitar and I sing. Harry sings too, but I'm assuming you already know that.” I nodded, sniffling and trying to picture them doing this in one of the tiny practice room. Niall let out a chuckle and hurried into the next room, coming back with an old beat up guitar and a sheet of music.  
“Here, we'll show you. Li, let's do...Little Things?” Liam nodded and took the papers from Niall, pulling up a stand and placing the music up for Niall to read. Niall tuned the guitar a little and then started to pluck the strings. I stared at his fingers, shocked at how good he was, and then Liam started singing. He had quite a nice voice, if I was being completely honest.  
Your hand fits in mine like it's made just for me  
But bear this in mind, it was meant to be,  
And I'm joining up the dots with the freckles on your cheeks,   
And it all makes sense to me.  
Niall came in with the next verse, singing and playing, and Liam added some harmony, and then they reached the chorus, building a little in volume.

I won't let these little things slip  
Out of my mouth  
Cause it's you, it's you  
It's you they add up to  
I'm in love with you,   
And all these little things.

Niall strummed the last chord and they stopped, looking over at me. I was just sitting there with my mouth open. I couldn't even believe that this had just happened. I thought I was a weirdo for being in sports and playing music. At my old school, it had been a secret, known only to the music teacher and my best friend, because it wasn't accepted. A lot of stuff wasn't accepted there...one of the many reasons we had to move away from Doncaster. But here, it was like everyone understood me. My two best friends did music and footie just like me, and no one cared. I smiled at both of them and pulled them into one armed hugs. They didn't protest, but actually leaned into me.  
“I...I hope you guys know how happy I am to have you. And...you know, when H-Harry gets better, he should sing with us. This could be a great thing for us.” I said, feeling almost bad that Zayn wasn't here for this. His secret dream had been to write and perform his music, and he had helped me with my song, but he was gone. He wasn't coming back, and I had to make the best with what I had.

________________

The three of us stayed in the choral room for the rest of lunch, talking about music and all sorts of stuff. It provided a great distraction from my worry for Harry and my anger at whomever had hurt him. But as soon as we left for our afternoon classes, my mind went right back to Harry. I wanted to be with him so bad, comforting him or just sitting with him. Just to know that he was awake and alive was enough for me. I barely payed any attention in class, and I walked around like a zombie to my other classes, finally feeling the exhaustion from not sleeping. And I still had to go home, tell my mom what was going on, and pack some clothes for the weekend. I was not leaving Harry's side, no matter what. He needed someone, and I was going to be that someone.  
Finally, finally, it was the end of the day, and I was just heading up the hall to meet Niall and Liam when I was stopped in my path by none other than Nick and his friends. I tried to shoulder my way past them, but they moved to prevent that.  
“What the hell do you want, Nick?” I grumbled, glaring at him. He just smirked and asked in a very annoying tone,  
“Where's your little fag boyfriend? Didn't see him in school today.”  
I felt my throat closing up at the mention of Harry, but if there was one person I would never ever show weakness in front of, it was Nick Grimshaw.   
“Why were you looking for him? Still hung up on that crush?” I retorted, trying to get under his skin as much as he was mine, but apparently it didn't phase him. All he did was laugh with his friends.  
“Oh, trust me, Lewis, Harry wouldn't be able to handle me. That's why he has to settle for someone like you.” I grimaced at the pronunciation of my name and was about to answer back when Liam's voice came out of nowhere.  
“Fuck off, Nick. Louis' a much better choice for Harry than you ever were.” Nick and his friends turned around to look for Liam and I slipped past them and hurried out of school with Liam and Niall, flicking Nick off as I went.  
“Fucking prick. He doesn't know anything. Harry is so sweet and wonderful and Nick would have treated him like garbage. He STILL treats him like garbage and I hate it!” I ranted as we headed in the opposite direction from Harry's house, towards where we all lived. Niall and Liam didn't say anything, but merely nodded. Niall gave a hesitant glance around us before wrapping his arm around Liam's waist comfortably. I made a face,  
“You two are so cute, it's disgusting.”   
“Oh, shove off. You'll be enjoying this soon enough, and then we will see what you have to say.” Niall shot back playfully, and Liam leaned his head against Niall's briefly before continuing to walk. I branched off a few streets before them, promising to pick them up in an hour or so after we all talked to our parents. I walked through my front door and was immediately accosted by two little girls, who clung to my legs and squealed.  
“Lou, you're home!” They cried, and I hobbled into the house, closing the door behind me.   
“Hi, girls. Did you have a good day at school?” I asked, fondly, ruffling their hair and kissing them both on the forehead. Daisy and Phoebe started talking at the same time, both really fast, as I slowly made my way into the kitchen, trying to take in every word they said. My mum looked up from the kitchen table, where she was doing paperwork and smiled.  
“Louis, honey! It's good to see you.” She looked hesitant, as though she wanted to say something, but at that moment, my other two sisters, Lottie and Fizzy, came into the kitchen, and conversation was diverted from me and onto them. I opened the fridge, grabbing a soda, and sat down at the table next to my mum. For a few minutes it was just a confusing mixture of voices, and then my mum put her foot down.  
“Alright, girls, that's enough. Get back to your homework and I'll call you when dinner's ready!”  
All four girls grimaced in equal measure before exiting the kitchen and tromping up the stairs. Mum finally turned to me, and I could see that her eyes held concern.  
“Louis, Harry's mother called last night. Not quite sure how she got the number, but she called all the same. She said something had happened and you were staying the night...you want to talk about it?”  
I opened my mouth to respond, but suddenly my voice wouldn't work. I tried again, but still nothing. My mum reached out her hand and placed it over mine.  
“Baby, it's OK. You can talk to me.” My bottom lip quivered ever so slightly, and I swallowed hard before finally being able to speak.  
“He...it was after the game and he just disappeared so...so Niall and I went to look for him...and he...we found him...someone hurt him, mum...really bad, and I can't...” A few tears made their way onto my cheeks and I brushed them away forcefully. My mum pulled me into a gentle hug, rubbing my back like she used to do when I was little.  
“Louis, Harry will be alright, I promise you. He just needs some time, and some people who are willing to be there for him and help him through this. And I know how much you care about him. He's lucky to have you.” She whispered into my ear, and I nodded, pulling away from her a little and sniffling slightly.  
“You're right. I know. I just wish I could have saved him...I really like him, Mum. And now that this has happened, I doubt we will ever be able to be together, and it hurts so damn much...umm, anyway. I...Anne invited us to stay the weekend with him if we wanted, me, Niall, and Liam. If that's OK with you, cause I know you have work and Mark isn't around a lot and someone might need to be here for the girls...”  
“Don't worry, I'll have Lottie babysit them. You go with your friends. Help Harry. Do what you need to do. I know that you will always decide what is right.” She gave me a kiss on the cheek and stood up, clearing up her paperwork. I nodded appreciatively and walked slowly up the stairs, trying not to alert any of my sisters. I didn't want them to see me crying, because it would scare them, and that was the last thing I wanted. I got to my room and grabbed a bag, packing a pair of jeans, some sweats, and a few t-shirts. Clean boxers and an extra pair of vans were also thrown into the mix, and then I was ready. I hurried into the hallway, only to be met by Daisy, who was sitting outside my door with a curious expression on your face. She eyed the bag in my hand and asked,  
“Lou, where are you going?”  
“Just to a friend's house, love.” I answered simply, but I guess that wasn't enough for her.  
“Why?”   
I closed my eyes for a moment, keeping my composure as Harry came to the forefront of my thoughts. “My friend...he is very sick. And he needs my help, so I'm going to help him.”  
“You're coming back, right?” She looked up at me with those big blue eyes full of fear, and I picked her up, hugging her tightly.  
“Of course I am, love. I'll only be gone a few days. Tell your sister, if she asks, OK?”  
I put Daisy back down on the floor and she nodded. Before I could head down the stairs, however, she grabbed hold of my sleeve and I turned around inquiringly.  
“Tell your friend that I love him and I hope he feels better soon.”  
I almost cried right then and there. Daisy, so innocent and completely unaware of the seriousness of the situation, was simply asking for me to tell Harry that she loved him. It was beautiful.  
“I will. Bye, love. See you soon.” I answered and without another word, I descended the steps. I texted Liam and Niall, telling them I was on my way, and I went in to say goodbye to my mum. She hugged me tight to her chest.  
“Good luck, sweetie. And...when Harry gets better, bring him over here. I'd quite like to meet the young man that stole my son's heart.” I blushed crimson at her words and grabbed my keys, waving to her and hurrying out the door.


	21. Chapter 21

Louis' POV:

The ride to Harry's was silent. I didn't even play music in the car. When I picked up Niall and Liam, they both had grim looks on their faces, and I felt exactly as they looked. It was like we were going to war or something, it was kind of scary.  
I pulled up in front of the house and we got out, hitching our bags onto our shoulders and heading for the front door. Anne was waiting there for us, and she opened it quietly. We stepped into the house and there was absolute silence. I wasn't sure if that was on purpose, but it was like walking into a hospital. I looked into the next room and saw an empty couch, but I didn't even have to ask.  
“He's up in his room. I helped get him there, he just didn't seem comfortable on the couch. He could...he could barely walk. You guys can take the guest bedroom right next to his, and I'll call you when dinner's ready.” Anne said in a soft voice, and we all just nodded, taking our slow time up the stairs. We threw our bags into the guest room and slowly made our way to Harry's closed door. I knocked carefully, but there was no answering voice. No noise. Nothing. I eased the door open a little and peered inside. Harry was under the covers, curled up, his eyes trained on the door. His face was expressionless, just as it had been that morning. I opened the door a little more and Niall and Liam came in behind me. Harry pulled the covers closer to his face, looking frightened. I stepped out of the way and Niall went carefully over to Harry.  
“Hey, Haz. It's Ni...how are you feeling?” Niall said carefully, but Harry didn't answer. He seemed to relax a little bit at the familiar voice, but nothing else. Liam hobbled over to Niall's side, but he didn't speak, he merely looked at Harry. Harry looked back at him, and the three of them stayed frozen for a solid minute. Then Liam turned back towards me.  
“He knows who we are. He knows that we won't hurt him. But he's terrified. Don't look at me like that, I can read him. I've known him a long time. I...I think he wants you. Just you. So...we'll leave, shall we?” Liam motioned for Niall to follow him, and they both left the room, Niall touching Liam's back lightly. The door shut behind them, and I turned back to look at Harry. He looked so tiny, despite actually being a giant. I knelt down next to the bed and placed my fingertips on the edge of the mattress. Harry's eyes darted from my fingers to my eyes, and then he slowly reached for my hand. A smile grew on my face and I let him touch my hand, before taking his hand and holding it.  
“Hi, Hazza.” I said simply. He didn't say anything back, but he looked visibly relaxed. His large hand almost completely engulfed mine, but I didn't mind. He studied me silently, and then his eyebrows knit as he noticed my clothes.  
“Oh, right. Umm, I had to borrow your clothes this morning...I didn't have any extra and...yeah.” His face slowly morphed back into its expressionless state, but he started playing with my fingers gently, turning my hand this way and that. I noticed that my hand was shaking, and apparently he noticed too, because his eyes filled with concern. I took a shaky breath, saying the words that I had been holding back.  
“Hazza, please talk to me. I know you're scared, but I won't hurt you. I...It hurts me a lot to see you like this, and I need to know how to help you.”   
Harry pulled his hand away suddenly and tucked it under the covers. Tears pricked in my eyes, but I pushed them away. If I cried, Harry probably wouldn't take it well.  
“It's OK, you don't have to. I understand.” I said, sitting down on the floor and leaning up against the bed. I just sat there for a long time in complete silence with Harry. The tension in the air was so thick, I could have cut it, but I didn't want to pressure him. So I didn't say a word, and let my thoughts engulf me. My mind just kept repeating the same question: Who did it?  
It seemed like ages later that there was a soft knock on the door and Liam and Niall poked their heads in. Their lips were much redder than when I had left them, and I almost had to smirk.  
“Dinner's ready, if you want some.” Liam said, and I nodded. I turned to Harry, whose gaze shifted from the doorway to me. His eyes held so much emotion that I didn't know how to form words for a second.  
“Umm..right. Hazza, do you want some food? I'll bring it up to you.” I said timidly, reaching for his fingertips again. He let me touch his hand, and then, to mine and everyone's surprise, he gave a tiny nod. I let out a small gasp without meaning to. “Did...you guys saw that right?” I asked, turning in awe to Niall and Liam. They both stood in the doorway, hints of smiles on their lips as they nodded. I turned back to Harry and smiled widely. “You do want some food? Just a little bit?” He nodded again, and it took all my willpower not to kiss him right then and there. “OK, I'll be back soon, love.” I hurried out of the room and into the hallway, followed by Niall and Liam.  
“Love? Seriously, you are so far gone for him,” Niall teased as we went down the stairs together, both of us helping Liam.   
“At least I wasn't in the guest bedroom making out and doing god knows what for an hour and a half,” I responded, and Liam blushed. Niall grinned sheepishly and I just rolled my eyes. We entered the kitchen and I started talking immediately.  
“Anne...I got an answer out of him. I asked him if he wanted food, he nodded to me.”   
Anne looked up from the stove with a smile on her face.  
“That's wonderful news, Louis! He wouldn't eat earlier when I offered. Just a small bit, I'm assuming?” I nodded and she put a small amount of meat and vegetables on a plate, handing it to me. “You three can eat with him if you like. I think he might enjoy the company.”  
The three of us nodded, getting our own plates of food. Niall and Liam piled their plates high, but I only took the same amount of food Harry had. If he was having trouble eating, maybe if I ate with him, it would be helpful.   
Niall carried Liam up the stairs while Anne balanced their plates in her hands, and we all walked carefully into Harry's room. He was in the same position we left him in, curled in a ball on his side, staring at us as we gathered in the room and Niall found Liam a chair. I set mine and Harry's plates down on his night stand and knelt down next to him again. Anne stood on his other side, smiling sadly at her son.  
“Hi, Harry, sweetie. We brought you some food. You're hungry, yeah?” Her voice was soft and soothing, and it seemed that Harry felt that, because he nodded more than once this time. Anne's smile only grew. “Do you want to sit up, baby?” She asked, and he looked hesitant, but nodded again. He attempted himself, but his face twisted in pain and he fell back into his fetal position, tears gathering in his eyes. Anne reached for him to comfort him before remembering that he was afraid of contact. She went slower, and Harry didn't flinch when she touched his shoulder. This was good. It was progress.  
“Lou, honey, I need your help getting him up.” She said, adding a sly wink in there, and I stared at her for a moment. Seriously? She knew too? But I didn't protest, and I sat down on the edge of the bed. Harry didn't cower away, but he looked frightened. I brushed his knuckles with my fingers, trying to soothe him. I slowly slipped my arm around his waist, making sure I kept eye contact with him the whole time so that he knew it was OK.   
Together, Anne and I moved Harry into a sitting position. Harry whimpered a little, and I felt my heart break just that much more, but I tried not to show my emotions and just smiled kindly at him, encouraging him until he was sitting up on his own. Anne let him go and bid us farewell, saying she would be down in the kitchen. I didn't want to let go of his waist. I fit perfectly into his arm, and I could feel butterflies acting up in my stomach. But I did let him go, after earning a snicker from Niall. Harry almost looked saddened at the loss of contact, and my heart skipped a beat, remembering what Liam and Niall had told me only that morning. Maybe Harry did have feelings for me.  
I picked up his plate and placed it on his lap along with utensils and a napkin. He swallowed and looked down at the food, almost a little afraid of it.  
“Don't be scared, Haz. I'm eating too, see? And Niall and Liam as well. It won't hurt you.” He bit his lip and picked up his fork, poking at the meat with it. I sat down carefully next to him on the bed and picked up a piece of meat with my fork, eating it and nodding encouragingly. He slowly brought the meat to his mouth and ate it, chewing slowly and swallowing with a small wince. I kept pace with him, eating as slowly as he ate, and I kept conversation going with Niall and Liam. We talked about a number of things, trying not to mention anything about footie or the game or anything that might trigger something.   
Harry just sat there, eating painfully slow and listening to our conversation. I really wanted to ask him questions or ask his opinion on things, but I knew he wouldn't talk, not yet at least. So I just let him be, and we all sat there long after our food was gone. Niall and Liam were yawning and my eyes felt like they were being stabbed at. Harry had half slumped over, his head leaning against the headboard, and his eyes half closed.  
“Alright, lads. Bedtime for me. I'll take the plates, shall I?” Niall finally said, stretching and going around to each of us, gathering our dirty dishes. He smiled at Harry and left the room. Liam hopped to the door, and I saw what was clearly a lovebite gracing the side of his neck.   
“So you guys had more fun than I thought...OK then.” I made sure to keep my comment subtle, because Harry didn't know about Niall and Liam yet, but Liam got it, and he just rolled his eyes before leaving me with Harry. I stood up carefully and slipped my arm around Harry's waist again, aiding him in laying down. He let out a small whimper, like a little puppy, and I froze, holding him up until his face had relaxed, before easing him down into a comfortable position. I brushed some of the curls back on his forehead, and his eyes widened, but he didn't stop me. I slowly leaned down and pressed my lips to his forehead, letting them linger before pulling away quickly. Harry's cheeks were scarlet, but his face held no expression other than shock and the lingering fear that had been there since I found him.   
“Good night, Hazza.” I whispered, turning off the small lamp and leaving the room, quietly shutting the door behind me. I headed into the guest bedroom, pulling off Harry's clothes in a haste to get into sweats and a t-shirt. Despite the clothes having been worn all day, they still smelled like Harry, and I stuck them next to my pillow. The guest bedroom only had one small bed, and Niall and I let Liam have it, because of his injury. Getting him out of bed was much easier than getting him off the floor. Niall was already settled and snoring lightly on the floor, and Liam was watching him fondly. I sighed, trying not to be jealous of them, and turned out the light, curling up under my blanket and falling asleep right away.

________________

It was around 2:30 AM that I heard it. I thought it was just part of my dream that didn't make any sense, but I kept hearing it, and I finally sat up, bleary eyed. I could hear sobs. They were quiet, but they were definitely there. Harry, I thought, and without even trying to wake up fully, I got up and stumbled for the door, opening it and falling into the hallway. I knocked on Harry's door and heard the sobs hitch for a moment before resuming. I opened the door, rubbing my eyes and yawning, and was met by a heart-wrenching sight.   
Harry was curled on his other side now, but his whole body was shaking and the covers had slipped off of his back, revealing dark bruising. I walked to his bedside and knelt down, but his face was hidden under the covers, like he was trying to hide from something.  
Or someone...  
“Harry? Hey, it's alright. You're safe.” I mumbled, trying to pull the sheet away, but he clutched it tighter and cried harder. I didn't know what to do. Normally in a situation like this, I would pull him into my arms and help him through it. But he was afraid to be touched, and had barely become accustomed to me and his own mother helping him up. I didn't want to trigger an attack.   
A sudden thought occurred to me, and I stood up, sitting down on the small amount of bed next to Harry's trembling figure. Whenever my sisters would get scared, I would sing to them. It was early in the morning, and I probably had a really gravely voice, but it was the only thing I could think of. The first song that popped into my head was the one I had written, and without hesitation, I started singing it quietly.

Don't forget where you belong,  
Home,  
Don't forget where you belong,  
Home,  
If you ever feel alone,  
Don't,   
You are never on your own,  
And the proof is in this song.

Harry's sobs gradually stopped, and his body stilled. I ran my fingers lightly through his hair, hoping that it wouldn't be too much for him, and it seemed to work. His breathing became normal, and soon he was sleeping peacefully. I wasn't sure if he had even been awake at all, but at least I had done something to help. I stood up, preparing to leave, but I was so tired, I couldn't make myself walk. I curled up right next to Harry's bed and fell asleep on the floor.


	22. Chapter 22

Harry's POV:

I woke up with wet cheeks. The sheets were clutched tightly in my fists, and they were wet as well. I must have cried in my sleep again. It's not like I wanted to...but every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was Nick. I was surprised that I had been able to sleep at all. All I know is that something weird happened last night. I had been dreaming about it again...and then suddenly, there was a voice. The voice of angel, and they were singing to me. And I just felt...at peace. Maybe that's why I felt so well rested. I released the sheets and tried to move into a different position, but the muscles in my lower back and bum screamed at the slightest movement, bringing fresh tears to my eyes. I bit down on my lip and forced my body to shift ever so slightly, emitting a small whimper as the muscles pulled uncomfortably. I heard a shifting off to my left and became suddenly alert. Who was in my room? I lifted my head and peered very cautiously over the edge of my bed, and my heart swelled. Louis was curled up on my floor, sound asleep, his hands under his head as he used them for a pillow. His fringe was an absolute mess, and his eyelashes cast shadows on his cheeks. He was so beautiful.  
I wish I could talk to him. But ever since that night, I couldn't speak. It's not that I didn't want to. I physically did not have a voice. I had tried to speak several times, when I was alone, just to see if it was my social anxiety acting up, but I couldn't do it. I was mute, and I didn't know how to get back to normal.   
Just the thought of never being able to talk to anyone, never being able to tell Louis that I loved him (which I did, I knew I did, even if I didn't want to admit it to myself), had me in tears again, and I just couldn't stop them. I wiped my eyes with my sleeve and tried to keep my sobs quiet, but it didn't work. I closed my eyes and tried to think of happy things, and all I could think of was Louis. His perfect hair, his beautiful blue eyes...his smile when he was happy. I breathed in a sigh of relief and opened my eyes. My heart almost stopped when seeing two bright blue orbs looking at me. I jolted backwards and let out a muffled groan as pain coursed through my body, and Louis' expression morphed into that of extreme concern.  
“Oh, god, Hazza, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you...” He reached towards me but pulled his hand back, as though afraid to touch me. I admit, I was afraid to have anyone within three feet of me, but Louis was different. I knew I could trust him, and, well, I liked him a lot. But I couldn't speak, so I couldn't tell him that. I just stayed still, letting the pain fade, and Louis reached carefully towards me. I moved my hand and slid it under Louis', letting him brush my knuckles before taking the first move and gripping his hand. He looked surprised, but a smile appeared on his face, and it warmed my heart. Louis looked absolutely exhausted, but he was here, and that's all that mattered to me.   
“Your're OK, yeah?” He asked, his voice very soft and delicate. I nodded and played with his tiny fingers. He looked almost fondly down at our hands. “Do you need anything?”   
I opened my mouth to respond before remembering that I didn't have a voice to respond with. I sighed heavily and shook my head. Louis looked almost disappointed, but he sat down next to me and let me play with his hand a bit more. I thought about it, and then decided that I needed to let Louis know, somehow, that I wasn't afraid of him, not a lot, anyway. I took the hand that I had and brought it slowly to my cheek, letting it rest there underneath mine. Louis looked at me, his cheeks going slightly pink, and he rubbed his thumb across my cheek, almost lovingly. I closed my eyes at the contact, taking it in. I knew that Louis was only being over protective and touchy with me because he felt bad for me, but I would take what I could get, until I got my voice back. Then maybe I'd have the courage to tell him myself.   
“Hazza...” I opened my eyes and looked up at Louis. He looked conflicted and scared, his eyebrows knitted and his lip bitten red. “I...I need to tell you something...”  
There was a knock on the door and I jumped, wincing horribly. Louis looked away from me and sighed.  
“Come in.”  
The door opened, and Niall and Liam came in, rubbing their eyes and running hands through their hair. I started getting nervous...three people was a lot for me, and also now a dreaded number. I still had Louis' hand in mine, and I clutched it tightly. He looked around at me, and whispered,  
“It's OK, Haz. They won't hurt you. They're your friends, yeah?”  
I nodded, and Niall and Liam smiled, coming over closer, but staying a respectable distance away. I tugged on Louis' hand and he looked questioningly at me. I looked over at Niall and Liam, and then down at myself, hoping he understood. Judging by the smile, he knew what I wanted to say.  
“I think he wants you guys to come closer.” Louis said to them, and they looked surprised. Liam came first, hopping on his one good foot, and I looked from him to the bed, hoping he would sit down. And he did, smiling lightly. I reached out my other hand slowly towards him, and he observed the action carefully, looking from my hand to my face. I nodded, and he touched my hand gently. It didn't fill me with butterflies, like Louis' did, but it made me feel safe, and I gave Liam's hand a small squeeze.  
“Ni, come on. He means you too.” Liam said, beckoning to Niall. Niall came over and just stood next to me. I released my hand from Liam's grip and reached for Niall, who took my hand in both of his and smiled, his eyes brimming with tears. And for a bit we just sat there, me surrounded by my three best friends. At that moment, I couldn't have felt more loved.   
After a bit of just enjoying each other's company, Liam yawned, standing up and stretching.   
“I need a shower...really bad.” Niall smirked and I looked between the two of them, confused, as they left the room together. Louis rolled his eyes and then focused back on me. I realized that I still had his hand clutched in mine, and I let him go reluctantly. He just sat there, not moving and not speaking, until I gently reached for his arm and looked at him, concerned. He forced a quick smile onto his face.  
“I'm alright, Harry, don't look at me like that. I'm just tired.” I bit my lip. It was my fault that he was tired. He had stayed up looking for me and worrying about me and making sure I was alright. I felt horrible.  
“No, no don't feel bad. It's OK, it's not a problem. I promise, I wouldn't have stayed up if I didn't want to. I care about you...a lot.”   
I blushed and tried to hide my face in a pillow. Louis smiled fondly at me, which I was not used to at all, and he got up, picking his blanket up off the floor.   
It's just cause you're all hurt and stuff...he's just being nice...don't get your hopes up...  
Louis folded up the blanket and placed it on the chair in the corner, and then came back and sat next to me. I lifted my hand to scratch my nose and felt my greasy hair rub against the back of my hand. I grimaced and pulled at a lock of it. I hated not being clean, in any sense of the word, and right now I felt very physically and emotionally unclean.  
“I'm assuming you want to shower too?” Louis asked, and my eyebrows knit in confusion. He didn't mean shower together, did he? I nibbled on my lip nervously, and Louis blushed, realizing what he was suggesting.  
“No, no, umm...not like, us showering, I mean just you. Well, me too but...not together, like...at different times?” He almost asked this of himself, running a hand through his hair stressfully. I almost smiled, he was so adorable when he got flustered. But the action of smiling seemed almost foreign to me, like the muscles in my face wouldn't form anything other than a frown. I just looked Louis in the eye and nodded. I wanted a shower. I needed to clean myself. I felt contaminated. And I wanted to prove that I could do at least something other than lay on my back all day.  
“Umm, OK. Let me just go check if they're done...” He said, his voice holding a slight hint of amusement as he stood up and left the room. I looked down and played with the sheets. I needed to stand...but could I even do that? That would prove to be a problem if I couldn't. I had to try, though. I had to show them I was getting better. I hated them worrying over me all the time. I hauled myself into a half sitting position and threw the blankets off. My legs felt like lead poles, but I forced myself to swing them slowly over the side of the bed. My back and bottom protested greatly, so much that I had to blink back tears. I placed my hands on either side of my waist and tried to push myself up. I gasped at the amount of pain that coursed through my body and collapsed back onto the bed, tears rolling down my cheeks against my will.  
“Harry, what are you doing?” Louis' voice sounded from the doorway, and he ran into the room, sitting next to me. I sniffed and gestured to my legs hopelessly.  
“Hazza...I know you want to do this yourself, but you probably won't be able to walk on your own for a while...no, love, don't cry. It's OK...” Louis lifted his hand and gently wiped away my lingering tears with the pad of his thumb. I looked down at my feet, defeated, and he let his hand slide all the way down my arm until he tangled his fingers in mine.   
“Let me help you, yeah? Liam's running a bath for you.” I nodded slowly, and he carefully slid his arm around my waist, pulling my arm over his shoulders. I gripped onto his shirt and he stood up slowly, supporting almost all of my weight. I was on my feet. And it didn't hurt all that much. That is, until we tried walking forward, and all of the pain came back doubled in intensity. I instantly collapsed, and Louis almost went down as well. All that working out for footie must have paid off though, because he managed to stay on his feet and keep me somewhat upright.  
“Don't worry, Haz, I got you. I won't let you fall, I promise. Just lean on me, and take a step. You've got this.” He encouraged, gripping my waist tighter, and I believed him. If he thought I could do it, then I was damn well going to do it, no matter what it took. I could hear water running in the bathroom, and I felt a little better. I would be clean soon. Maybe that would help me feel better. I moved my foot forward and took another step, still leaning on Louis heavily. He supported me as we made it painstakingly slowly towards the door, and we stopped in the doorway for Louis to get a better grip before continuing to the bathroom.   
When we entered, it was to Niall hastily pulling on pants and Liam sitting on the side of the bathtub, testing the water with his hand. They both looked up and smiled widely at me.  
“Glad to see you up and about, Haz.” Liam said kindly, standing up and picking up his stuff off the floor. “We'll leave you guys to it, then. Come on, Ni.” With barely concealed smirks, they both left the bathroom, closing the door behind them. That left me and Louis in the bathroom, alone. I felt a bit awkward. OK, fuck being a bit awkward, I was beyond nervous and scared. I had to figure out a way to undress, and I would be completely naked in front of Louis. Louis must have been thinking along the same lines, because he spoke up at that moment.  
“Umm, so, how do you want to do this? I can turn around, or close my eyes, but I think you might need help getting in...” He commented, looking up at me nervously. I shrugged and began to pull off my shirt with the hand that wasn't around Louis' shoulders. It proved difficult, but soon I was shirtless and looking down at my pants, contemplating how I was going to get them off. There was no way of me doing it unless I had help. I looked at Louis pleadingly. He sighed, but he knew I needed help, and it didn't seem like he would deny me anything at the moment. Together, we both took hold of a pant leg and pulled. I made sure my boxers didn't go down with my sweats as they slipped over my hips and pooled at my feet. Louis' hand was so close to touching me, and I prayed that I didn't go hard right now, because that would be completely humiliating.  
“Do you...umm, want to bathe in them? Or should I...uh...” Louis gestured hopelessly at my boxers, and I slipped a hand under the waist band. I needed them off, I needed to be completely cleaned. Louis swallowed and put his hand on my hip, his fingers sliding under the elastic, and he slowly helped me pull off my boxers as well.  
Well, now I was naked. In front of Louis. While Louis was still supporting me. I wasn't sure whose face was a brighter red, his or mine.   
“Y-you ready?” He stammered, politely looking anywhere above my waist. I nodded, and we moved closer to the bathtub. He helped me lift one leg over the side, and I let out a small moan. It hurt a lot, and I swear I could feel something tearing, but maybe it was just me. Louis got underneath my arm and helped me get the other leg in, and then he eased me down into the water. The water had bubbles in it, probably Niall's idea, so I was completely covered. Louis took his arm away from my waist and played with the hem of his shirt.  
“S-sorry for being so...umm, awkward, I just...yeah, it's nothing. I'll just...wait here, yeah?” I nodded. I wanted him to stay, I needed the company. But at that moment, there was a soft knock on the door, and my mum peered in.  
“Louis, sweetie, breakfast is downstairs, and you look famished. Go and eat. I'll take care of Harry.” Louis looked hesitant about leaving me, but my mum smiled encouragingly, and he obliged, looking back at me with flushed cheeks before leaving. I saw my mom flash a smirk at him before closing the door and taking a seat on the toilet.  
“Oh, Harry, baby, I'm so sorry about all this. I wish I could do something for you.” She looked at me sadly, her eyes watery, and I shook my head fast. If she cried, I would cry, and I didn't need to cry any more than I already had. She got down on her knees next to the bathtub and ran a hand through my hair gently. I didn't flinch at her touch, which was good. I had been before, and she noticed the change, for her smile became a little less sad.  
“Louis really cares about you, you know?” She said, and I blushed furiously. “I've never seen him like this before. Granted, I haven't known him all that long, but he seems very protective of you. If I'm not mistaken, I'd say he has feelings for you after all.”   
My mouth dropped open a little. I didn't want to get my hopes up, but my mom never said anything like that to me unless she knew it to be true. I eyed her curiously, and she just waved her hands.  
“But of course, that's not for me to go around telling. When he's ready, he will tell you. And I certainly hope that your feelings haven't changed...?”  
I shook my head, trying to hide my blush behind my now wet curls. If anything, my feelings for Louis had gotten much much more intense. I looked down at the water to distract myself, and saw a little red in it. I started to panic slightly at the sight. Blood. Why was there blood? My mum looked where my eyes were trained, and she looked up, her eyes painfully sad.  
“It's going to bleed a little bit...you got torn up pretty bad. But it will heal on it's own, and in about a weeks time, you should be able to walk again, I'm sure of it. Wash yourself up, baby, and then I'll have the boys bring you breakfast.” She stood back up and sat back down on the toilet, watching me as I cupped my hands and washed my hair slowly. The curls straightened out in the water, making my hair touch my shoulders, but I didn't really care. All I cared about was feeling clean in all ways possible.  
When I was done, I knocked on the wall lightly and my mum looked up. She rummaged for a large towel and draped it across her body. She then proceeded to scoop her arm under my armpits, pulling me into a standing position against her. I took my own legs out of the tub, my muscles feeling a little bit less tense, and she dried me off carefully, like a mother would do to a baby. It was the first time that I was not at all afraid of someone touching me since Thursday night. She handed me the clothes that were on the floor, but I shook my head. I wanted new ones, ones that didn't have little flecks of blood on the bottoms. She wrapped the towel around my waist and guided me slowly back to my room, where she let me sit down painfully on the bed as she searched for new clothes.   
She handed me a pair of boxers and basketball shorts, along with a soft white t-shirt, and then helped me dress. I was glad it was her and not Louis, because had it been Louis, I would have gotten way too excited, if you know what I mean.   
My mum then helped me get comfortable in bed, pulling pillows from god knows where and piling them behind me. She kissed my forehead and left the room, heading for the kitchen, and the boys. I sat there, looking around my room casually and thinking about Louis. I really wanted him to like me. And he seemed like he did. But would he want a boyfriend with as much baggage as me? He didn't seem like the type to judge on that, but I had to be careful. I thought it had been perfect before and I had just been crushed.

As soon as you get your voice back, Styles, you have to tell him.


	23. Chapter 23

Harry's POV:

 

My day was relatively OK. Louis, Niall, and Liam stayed in my room with me all day, chatting away, playing games, and eating more than I thought possible. I still was hesitant about eating, for fear that I would throw it up or something like that, but I did manage to have three very small meals, which was a huge accomplishment for me. What did make me a little sad, though, was that all three of them respectfully kept a safe distance between themselves and me. I didn't want them to stay away from me, I trusted them. I knew that they would never hurt me. But, of course, I couldn't tell them that, so I just stayed silent (not that I had a choice) and watched them. Louis kept turning around, seemingly to make sure that I was alright and not in pain, and it made my heart flutter every time his blue eyes caught my green ones.   
Eventually, all three of them were exhausted, especially Louis, and they decided that it was time for bed. Niall assisted Liam in getting off the floor, and looped an arm casually around his waist. Liam leaned into Niall and Niall pressed a kiss to his temple. My mouth dropped open a little bit, and I looked over at Louis, completely confused. What the hell had happened between them? I knew they were good friends...but kissing good? This I was unaware of.  
“Umm, guys...Harry is confused as all hell right now...you should probably tell him...” Louis said in an undertone to them, and they turned around sheepishly, looking guilty. I knew what I was thinking, but it couldn't possibly be right...  
“Haz...uh, Niall and I are...well, you see, we're...”  
“Dating. Liam and I are dating.” Niall finished for him, a smile lighting up his face as he nuzzled into Liam. I realized my mouth was still open, and I closed it. So they were dating! I knew something was up!  
They both looked at me nervously, as though they were scared that I would yell and scream at them. But, of course, even if I had wanted to, I couldn't. On the contrary, my face split into the first true smile since that night, and I beckoned for them to come closer. They did so hesitantly, and I wrapped my arms around them, hugging the life out of them. Louis was smiling at the three of us.  
“Haz...you're smiling!” He pointed out, seemingly shocked, and that just made me smile more. This was a great moment, and I was so happy for my two best friends. They deserved to be happy with each other.   
I let them go and they cuddled together, smiling at each other.  
“For fuck's sake, go make googly eyes at each other somewhere else, why don't you?” Louis said in mock exasperation, and they left the room, chuckling quietly. Now it was just me and Louis again. Louis sat down next to me and slowly reached for my hand. He was still being so gentle with me, but I didn't really mind it all that much. I took his hand in mine and laced my fingers through his. I didn't know if this counted as making a move, but he had done it earlier, and it made me feel safe.   
“I never thought I would see you smile like that again, Haz. I'm so proud of you...so fucking proud...” He trailed off, looking right at me, and I got lost in his eyes. It had always been a problem, which is why I usually avoided eye contact, but I couldn't help it this time, and I couldn't look away. He looked like he was thinking really hard about something, but he just ended up looking away from me and sighing. I touched his arm and made him look back at me. I nodded towards the door, trying to tell him that he needed to go to sleep, and that I was OK.   
“OK, I'm going, I'm going. Let me help you lay down first, yeah?” I let him slip his arm around my waist and he aided me into laying down. My muscles pulled painfully, but it wasn't as bad as before. Maybe I was getting better.  
Louis lifted the blankets to cover me and threw some of the pillows on the floor, since I didn't need that many to sleep, and then he just looked down at me. He was biting his lip, as though contemplating something. I wasn't sure what to do, so I just averted my eyes and played with the string of my shorts under the covers.   
Suddenly a pair of lips was on my cheek. They disappeared as quickly as they had been placed there, but it had definitely happened. Louis stood over me still, looking worried with his lips pressed together, and then he hurried out of the room without another word. I was blushing furiously as I brought my hand up to my cheek, touching the place where he had kissed me. My cheeks almost hurt with the smile that came. Guys normally weren't that friendly with their guy friends, so Louis had to like me, at least a little bit. With that happy thought, I closed my eyes, and drifted into dreams. 

 

Louis' POV:

I was so exhausted that I barely made it to the guest room. I didn't even get undressed, I just fell onto the pile of blankets and closed my eyes. But I couldn't fall asleep. Why the fuck had I kissed him? I mean, it was just an innocent kiss on the cheek, but still! He wasn't ready for that, he probably didn't want to date anyone after what had happened. But I could barely control my feelings around him anymore. Every time I saw him my heart started beating like crazy and my hands got all sweaty. God, I sound like a teenage girl, but it's the truth. I finally forced myself to forget about it and I fell asleep, but I couldn't have been asleep for more than a couple hours when someone was shaking me awake.   
“Lou? Louis, get up...” It was Niall, and his voice sounded croaky, like he had been crying.  
“Mmmm...Ni, what the hell? M'tired...let me sleep...” I grumbled, turning away from him, but he rolled me back over.  
“Lou, this is serious...it's Harry.”  
The minute his name left Niall's lips, I was awake. Not fully, but I was paying attention. I sat up and rubbed at my eyes, trying to become completely aware.   
“What's happening? Is he OK?” I said in a deep voice, struggling to disentangle myself from the mess of blankets. Niall bit his lip.  
“Well...not really...I don't know...Liam woke up cause he heard a loud thump, and heard him crying, so he woke me up and we went in to check on him...he was on the floor curled in a ball and whimpering...we tried to calm him down, but it just got worse. You're the only one he listens to...please, Lou, he needs you!”  
I finally managed to get all the blankets off and I stood, swaying slightly at getting up too fast. Niall stood as well and led me out of the room and into Harry's. Liam looked up from his position on the floor and sighed in relief. Harry was in his arms, eyes shut tight. He was curling in on himself, tears falling onto his cheeks.  
“Thank god...please help him...I don't know how...” Liam said, and his voice was choked. I got down next to Liam and took Harry in my arms, gently rocking him back and forth. His fist clenched onto my shirt and did not let go, the tears flowing even faster. He was having a panic attack, a really bad one.  
“Hey...shhhh, Hazza, it's OK. You're with me.” I whispered into his ear, but he cringed away from my voice and let out a sob. I bit down on my lip, and then it came to me.  
“Guys, we have to sing.”  
“What? It's the middle of the fucking...” Liam began, but I cut him off in a harsh whisper.   
“Music calms him down. I sang to him last night, and it worked. Come on, let's do that song, the one about little things. Three part harmony, right?” Niall and Liam looked slightly confused, but they cleared their throats, and together, we started to sing.

I won't let these little things slip  
Out of my mouth,  
Cause it's you, it's you,  
It's you they add up to,  
I'm in love with you,   
And all your little things

We repeated those lines several times, and Harry's crying slowly stopped. His breathing was hitching slightly, but it wasn't fast and short as it had been before. His fist loosened its grip on my shirt, and he seemed to relax into my arms. I kept rocking him back and forth, hoping that he was either already asleep, or he would fall back asleep. Finally, his breathing was back to normal, and he was snoring slightly. My eyes felt like they were going to fall out of my head, I was so tired. My head started to droop onto my chest next to Harry's before Niall shook me awake.  
“We have to get him back onto the bed, you and me. Liam can't. Then we can sleep.” I nodded wearily and Niall and I carefully lifted Harry's form into bed, covering him with blankets again, and making sure he was sound asleep before leaving. Niall was helping Liam limp back to bed, and I clutched the wall for support. I barely made it through the doorway of our room before I was out like a light, falling towards the floor as I fell asleep. 

________________

When I woke up the next morning, the room was still dark. I sat up and opened my eyes, looking around as I stretched. Niall and Liam were gone. That was weird, I was always the first one up. I stood slowly and could hear voices from downstairs. Completely aware of the fact that I hadn't showered in almost three days, I ran a hand through my messy hair and opened the door to the hallway. Instantly, the sunlight blinded me and I threw up a hand to block my eyes. It was so bright. It took me a minute to adjust, and then I just stumbled down the stairs and into the kitchen, squinting. Liam, Niall, and Harry were sitting at the table. My eyes widened at the sight of Harry. I hadn't expected him to be down here. I didn't think he could walk. They all looked up at my entrance, and Harry blushed. I guess he was still thinking of the little kiss I gave him.  
Tomlinson, don't think about that!  
“Oh, look, the zombie awakens! I was wondering when you'd show your face, Tommo.” Niall said sarcastically, pulling out a chair for me.  
“H-Harry...what are you doing down here...how did you...what time is it?”  
“Well, let's see. Harry wanted to come downstairs, so we helped him. He's already a lot better as far as walking goes. And as for the time, it's two in the afternoon.” Liam supplied helpfully. I gaped at him.   
“Why didn't you wake me up?” I asked incredulously. Niall and Liam both rolled their eyes.  
“Because, dumbass, you needed sleep. You've gotten, what, maybe four hours tops in the last two days? That's not healthy, mate. We thought you might appreciate some more.”   
As they said this, I noticed that Harry had his head down and he was playing with his own fingers, looking guilty. He thought it was his fault that I was tired. And maybe it was, but not in a bad way. I wouldn't have stayed up if he hadn't needed my help, and he was more important than my sleep. But I couldn't say anything to him in front of Anne...that would be embarrassing. So I just sat there quietly and accepted the sandwich that was placed in front of me. Liam and Niall had polished off their food, but Harry just stared down at the table, no plate in front of him.   
“Haz, have you eaten anything?” I asked hoping he would look up at me, but he just shook his head, biting his lip. I stood up and went to the drawer for a knife. I proceeded to cut my sandwich in half and I sat down closer to Harry, offering it to him. He shook his head, his curls flopping into his face. I had to bite down a smile, because he was just so damn adorable.  
“Hazza, you have to eat. Come on. I'll eat with you...it smells so good...” I waved the sandwich under his nose, and he scrunched it, trying to pull away, but I just followed him tauntingly. He finally snatched the sandwich from my hands, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. I smiled in satisfaction as he took a small bite of it, the half looking so small in his large hands. I took a bite of mine and I looked at him, giving a playful smile. Niall and Liam were pretending to vomit on the other side of the table, both of them knowing my feelings for Harry. I glared at them and they stopped messing around, deciding instead to kiss each other, which they could do freely now since Harry and I both knew.   
“You two are disgusting, you know that?” I grumbled, taking another bite out of my sandwich, and Harry nudged my arm, the left side of his mouth twitching up in a small smile as he looked fondly at the new couple. I didn't know if he meant something more by it, but I refused to consider it while siting at the kitchen table.  
I sat there with Harry until he had finished every last bite of his half of the sandwich, and then I stood.  
“I really need to get a shower. I'll be back, guys.”  
“OK, mate. We'll put in a movie or something, yeah?” Niall said, and I nodded. Harry merely looked after me as I walked out of the room, and I couldn't help but wonder if he was checking me out. Just the mere thought of Harry doing that had me getting excited downstairs, and I groaned inwardly, thankful that I was about to get a shower, and I wouldn't have to deal with that awkwardness.

____________________

After a nice long shower, I felt awake and refreshed, more so than I ever had before. I pulled on a pair of sweats and a tight white shirt before heading downstairs. The three of them had moved into the den, and Liam and Niall were snuggled up on the love seat. Harry was spread out on the couch, a blanket over his legs. He looked hopefully at me, and I couldn't resist those big green eyes, so I sat down next to him. I was afraid to get too close to him, but he moved his legs over onto the table, wincing only slightly at the movement, and patted the spot right next to him. I obliged, but sat stiff-backed, not wanting to give into the temptation to lean against him and cuddle. Of course, we were watching a scary movie, which was not one of my favorites. Apparently it wasn't Harry's favorite either, because he was chewing his bottom lip nervously, jumping at the slightest sign of movement on the screen.  
The movie continued on, but about halfway through, the monster finally appeared with a loud jolt of music, and Harry squeaked, burying his face in my shoulder. I blushed horribly as Niall and Liam smirked over at us, but I felt the need to make Harry feel safe. I put an arm around his waist and hugged him close to me.  
“I got you, Haz.” I mumbled so only he could hear, and I swear I could feel him smile a little against my shoulder. He looked back up at the screen, embarrassed, but he didn't complain about the placement of my arm, and I didn't move it. We went back to paying attention to the movie, and I relaxed a little bit, snuggling up to Harry and putting my head on his chest. He tensed a little at this, and I moved back to see if he was alright, but he seemed more surprised than anything else, so I slowly put my head back down, and he relaxed again. It just...felt right, me being in Harry's arms. He was the one who had been hurt a few days ago, and here he was holding me. I loved it.  
I must have fallen asleep during the movie, which was odd considering how much sleep I'd gotten last night. All I know is that I woke up warm and comfortable, the soft breathing of someone ruffling my hair and an arm around me. I opened my eyes slowly and saw Liam and Niall looking over at us, looks of exaggerated fondness on their faces. I blinked slowly again and looked up at Harry. He was sound asleep, and seemed untroubled by bad dreams. His curls fell gracefully around his face, framing it in dark brown, and it took all the willpower that I had not to kiss him. Niall winked at me and whispered,  
“This is the first time he's been able to sleep without nightmares since that day. Looks like you have an affect on him...” He added the last bit in a cheeky voice, and Liam punched him. Niall punched him back, and they got into a wrestling fight. I sighed and moved closer to Harry, who moved in his sleep before settling back down, a small smile gracing his lips. I closed my eyes and drifted slowly back into my dreams.

________________

We both woke up an hour later, and Harry looked highly embarrassed at having held me while he slept. He didn't shove me off, though, which was good.  
Niall, Liam, and I had school tomorrow, which meant that we had to go home. Harry stayed downstairs as we packed our bags and cleaned up the guest room, and then Niall and I went to help Harry upstairs, knowing that Anne might have trouble doing it by herself. To my surprise, Harry actually did seem to be getting better. He wasn't leaning on us as much to walk, and that made me hopeful for a quick recovery.   
We settled him in bed, and then Niall departed quickly with a wink in my direction. He knew that I didn't have the guts to tell Harry how I felt, and was therefore just making fun of me. Little shit. I sat down on the edge of Harry's bed and played with the duvet. Harry latched onto my wrist, his eyes begging me not to leave him.  
“I have to go, Haz. You know how Coach is about missing class, and I didn't do any of my homework.” He looked down guiltily, and I tilted his chin back up with two of my fingers.  
“It's not your fault. I chose to be here with you. You matter more to me than homework or school, or even my own health, OK?” He blushed and I bit my lip. Had I gone too far? Was I too obvious?   
Harry just nodded and reached for my hand, playing with my fingers again. I let him do so for a bit until my phone buzzed. It was my mum, and she really needed me home. I pulled my hand away from Harry and he looked up at me sadly.  
“My mum needs me. I really have to go.” I turned to pick up my bag, and I was almost at the door when I remembered. “Oh! I almost forgot. My little sister, Daisy, says she hopes you feel better, and that she loves you.”  
Harry's face lit up, his dimples popping out in a dazzling smile. He motioned for me to come back and reached for his night stand, pulling out paper and a pencil. He scribbled down a few words and folded it, holding it out to me. I took it and started to open it, but he shook his head frantically, pointing down at the outside. It had Daisy's name written on it with a little 'x' next to it.  
“Oh I see how it is, Harry.” I said, sniffing disapprovingly, and Harry stuck out his bottom lip, pouting. I sighed and stuck the note in my pocket, hurrying back over to Harry and picking up his hand. I brushed my lips against his knuckles. I don't know what made me do it, but I guess it was because I really wanted to kiss him and I couldn't.  
“I'll see you soon, Hazza.” I said quietly before hurrying out of the room and down the stairs. I grabbed Niall and Liam and they climbed into the car. I dropped them off at their houses and then headed for mine. I was excited to see my family, but my mind kept diverting to Harry, with his pretty green eyes and his perfect curls. Who would want to hurt someone as perfect as Harry?


	24. Chapter 24

Harry's POV:

I waited every day for Louis to come back...but he didn't. I knew that he had school and footie and everything, but even with all that, Niall and Liam managed to come over most of those days. Had I done something wrong? Had I scared him off? Did he not want to be friends with me after what had happened? I didn't know, but it made me sad. I missed him terribly.  
Over the course of the week, things slowly improved for me. By Wednesday, I was able to pretty much walk on my own, even if it was only for short intervals of time. I had gained a little of my appetite back, and my injuries had healed, for the most part. The only thing that wasn't getting better was my muteness. I tried, every single day, to get just one word out, but nothing. Not to my mom, not to Niall or Liam, not even to myself. It frustrated me to no end.  
The nightmares continued every single night, so that sometimes I woke up in a cold sweat, still shaking and crying, or, if Niall and Liam stayed the night, one of them would be holding me. It was sweet of them to help me, but they weren't Louis.  
It was Friday afternoon, right after school had ended, and I was talking to Niall. Well, he was talking and I was listening, but that didn't matter. He and Liam had rushed over after school. They had a date later that night, their first official one, but they wanted to check up on me beforehand. I was glad to have them here, but my heart still sank when they came through the door and Louis wasn't with them.   
Anyway, Niall was telling me all about the game they had played last night and how they had just barely won without me. What was worse was that, in my absence, they had no choice but to reinstate Nick on the team. When Niall mentioned this to me at the beginning of the week, I almost had a breakdown in front of him and Liam. But no one knew who had done this to me, and I had to keep it a secret. He told me never to tell, and from how it was going now, it didn't seem like I'd ever be able to tell anyone anything again, even if I wanted to.  
“The point of all this is, we need you back, Haz. You're the one who always made the team work hard, but have fun at the same time. Nick is shit at being captain, and he's all high and mighty cause he got back on the team. You have to come back.”  
I shook my head violently. I couldn't come back. Not to footie, not to school, not anywhere where Nick might turn up. If I even caught a glimpse of him, I'd probably have such a bad panic attack that I would end up in the hospital. And that's when I realized that that had been his plan all along. All he wanted was his fucking spot on the team, and apparently hurting me was the only way to get it back.  
“Ni's right, Harry. The team is nothing without you. I'm sure as soon as you come back, Nick will be right off the team again. Coach only brought him back because we had no one else to play forward, and he can play. And if he messes with you, he'll have me to answer to.” Liam growled, and I just shrugged, looking at the floor. They had no idea...  
There was a knock on the door, and I looked up hopefully, but it was just the postman delivering a package. I sighed and bit my lip, twisting my hands in my lap. Liam put an arm around my shoulders and Niall patted my knee sympathetically.   
“He'll come. I promise. I guess he's just been busy. He runs out after practice every day. He's probably just taking care of his family. I heard that Mark was out of town this week.” Liam said, trying to cheer me up, but it didn't work. I pretended like it did, though, and put on a small smile to satisfy them. They probably saw right through it, but at least I tried.  
We all just sat there for a few minutes, and then Niall looked at his watch.   
“Umm, Li, it's almost five...the reservations are at 5:30, we had better go.” He said, looking nervously at his boyfriend. Wow...boyfriend...that was still a tiny bit strange, but I was slowly getting used to it. Not like I had a choice, with them kissing in front of me all the time, but they were really cute, so I dealt with it. They both stood up and Niall handed Liam his crutches. He was allowed to walk now, but only if he used the crutches for help. I stood up too, and hugged Niall first, then Liam. They both smiled and said goodbye, and walked out, arms around each other and talking animatedly.   
I closed the door behind them and went into the kitchen. My mum was cleaning the dishes, but looked up as I entered.  
“Hi, sweetheart. Do you want something to eat?” I shrugged and nodded, sitting down at the table. She dried off her hands and went about making me a simple ham and cheese sandwich. She placed it in front of me and brushed my curls out of my eyes, kissing my temple gently. I wanted to shy away from her, but I forced myself to stay still. I had to get used to people before I tried going back to school.  
I ate my food quickly and then helped my mum silently with the dishes. She opened her mouth several times, as though to ask me a question, and then she seemed to remember that I couldn't speak, and just sighed, continuing on with her work. When I had finished with that, I gave her a small wave and headed up to my room. I sat down slowly on my bed, sliding under the covers and grabbing my laptop and books. I had to do my homework, considering I had missed an entire week. But after 30 minutes of staring at my screen and not taking in a word, I shut my laptop with a snap. All I could think about was Louis, and how I had a feeling I knew why he wasn't coming over. And that feeling was not a good one.

 

Louis' POV:

I hadn't had time to visit Harry all week. Every single day was just go, go, go from sun up to way past midnight. I had school, and then footie practice, and then I had to rush home to take care of the girls while my mum was at work. Mark was out of town for a business trip, and mum had the night shift, so I had to be home super early. I had to cook them dinner and make sure they were ready for school and all their homework, and then finally, I could get to my work. Hence staying up till ungodly hours of the morning. Niall and Liam knew that I was busy, but that didn't stop them from giving me disappointed looks every day in the hallway.   
I hurried into the house and was immediately accosted by two little girls. I laughed as they clung to me, and I carried them into the kitchen.  
“Hi, loves, how was school?” I asked them, and both of them rattled off the tales of their day. Fizzy was doing her homework at the kitchen table and Lottie was fixing everyone a snack. I smiled at her gratefully as she handed me an apple and a glass of water.  
“Lou, you look exhausted. Just...take a rest, yeah?” I nodded vaguely, biting into the apple and plopping down in a kitchen chair, my head in my hands. I was exhausted, but I wouldn't admit it. I was the man of the house for the week, and that meant no weakness. That was my usual go to anyway, but especially this week.   
“It's fine, Lottie. I'll get started on dinner in a few, shall I? And you guys can get your homework done early, and then we can watch a movie. Whichever one you want, yeah?” Daisy and Phoebe jumped up and down and then ran up the stairs to their room to start their homework.  
“That means you too, Lots.” I said, playfully shoving her out of the way of the fridge.   
“You're actually going to cook something this time, right?” She asked, and I shrugged. They all knew I wasn't the best cook...OK, let's face it, I was the worst cook in the world. But I did know how to make one meal.  
“Yeah, actually, I'll make the girls' favorite. Now get out of the way, the chef needs his space!” Lottie laughed and tugged Fizzy with her, both of them disappearing up the stairs. I sighed, but I had a slight smile on my face as I pulled out chicken, parma ham, potatoes, and cheese. I was just glad that, after I did this, I could go to sleep.

________________

An hour later, I called all the girls down for dinner, and I already had the table set. The four of them gaped at the meal before them. I was impressed with myself, considering I had only ever made it once before, and that was with the help of my mum.   
“Lou...wow, it looks amazing!” Fizzy said in disbelief.  
“Good to hear that you have faith in me. Sit down and eat up, and then we can watch that movie.”  
All four of them sat down and started eating immediately. I grabbed a small portion for myself and ate it by the counter, even though there were seats left. I knew that as soon as I sat down, I would fall asleep, and I couldn't do that until the dishes were done and all that.   
Daisy, Phoebe, Lottie, and Fizzy all finished rather quickly and handed me their plates, not speaking as they all headed back up the stairs. I watched them go, confused. The television was down here, not up there. What were they doing?  
I washed the dishes quickly before heading slowly up the stairs myself. I found all four of them standing in the middle of the hallway, grouped together and whispering. Lottie saw me first and quickly spun around, the other three doing the same.  
“Alright, girls, spit it out. What are you up to?” I asked, staring at each of them in turn. Daisy came timidly forward, her hands clasped behind her back.  
“Lou, do you like boys?”  
I blinked at her. “Umm, yeah, I do. Boys are fine. Great people to be lads with and all that.” I replied, but to my surprise, she shook her head.  
“No, no. What I mean is...do you like boys, you know, like kissing them and stuff?” Understanding now what she was asking of me, I shot a quick look at Lottie. Apart from my mum, only Lottie and Fizzy knew about my sexuality. I had decided not to tell the twins because they were too young to understand the concept. But here Daisy was, asking me the question I had dreaded explaining to her. Lottie nodded encouragingly, and I knelt down in front of my little sister.  
“Yeah, Daisy. I do like kissing boys.” I said quietly, looking her dead in the eye. She looked at me for a solid ten seconds, and then a huge smile broke out on her face.   
“Good! Really good, Lou.” I knit my eyebrows. I was completely confused now.  
“W-what do you mean? Why are you asking me this?”  
Daisy looked back at the other three, and they nodded, all trying to conceal smiles of their own. Daisy walked closer to me and indicated for me to hold out my hand. In it, she placed the note that Harry had written for her.   
“This is yours, Dais, I can't take it.” She shook her head, and then took a deep breath.  
“The boy you went to visit...Harry...you like him?” She asked bluntly, and I swallowed hard before nodding slowly. Her smile got even bigger.  
“The note told me to give it to you. Said for you to look on the back.” She closed my hand over the paper and backed away from me. I took the paper gingerly in my fingers and unfolded it. In messy handwriting were these words.

Dear Daisy,  
You're such a sweet girl. I love you too, and I feel a little better. Give this to your brother, and tell him to read the back. Hope you still love me after this.   
Harry xx

I slowly turned the paper over, and gaped at the words written in tiny letters along the other side of the paper.

Lou, I like you. I like you a lot, and I'm sorry for it.

I didn't move. I didn't breathe. I just kept rereading the words before me. 'I like you...I like you a lot...' Harry liked me. Like, as more than a friend, liked me. I couldn't believe this. I stood up abruptly, folding the paper and handing it back to Daisy.  
“Girls...I need to go. Lottie, can you...” I asked imploringly, and she nodded, pushing me towards the stairs.  
“Go get your boyfriend. We expect payment for helping you with this, I hope you know.”  
I nodded meekly and practically ran down the stairs. I had to get to Harry. He probably thought I had read what he said and was ignoring him because I didn't feel the same way. But it was exactly the opposite, and I had to tell him that before he gave up on me.   
I grabbed my keys, slipped on some shoes, and ran out the front door, basically diving into the car and starting it. This was going to be interesting.


	25. Chapter 25

Louis' POV:

I got about two minutes from my house when the rain started. It was thick and heavy rain, and I could barely see where I was driving. I squinted at the road, still driving pretty fast, and all of a sudden, the car jolted and I flew forward into the steering wheel. I was dazed, not quite sure what had happened. My chest hurt a bit and I could taste blood in my mouth, but I didn't seem to be very hurt. I opened the car door and got out, inspecting my car. I groaned when I saw smoke coming out from under the hood. Of course, of all the times possible, my car had to break down right now.  
“Fuck it,” I mumbled to myself, and I shoved the gear into neutral, trying to push my car off the road. But I wasn't strong enough to do it by myself and I kept slipping on the wet road.  
There was a sudden honking of a horn, and a car pulled up next to me. They rolled down the window and I almost cried with relief when I saw Niall and Liam inside.  
“Oi, Tommo, you need some help?”   
“What does it look like, lads?” I yelled back sarcastically. I noticed that they were both dressed rather nicely. They must have gone on a date or something. But they didn't hesitate as they pulled off to the side of the road, parked the car with the blinkers on, and got out, not even bothering to get umbrellas.  
“Li, go over to the side of the road and direct us. I'll help Lou with the car.” Niall called, and Liam hobbled over to the side of the road. Niall opened the other door and got ready, and on the count of three, we started pushing the car towards Liam. It was still a lot of work, but after a good five minutes, we managed it, panting and soaked to the skin.  
“What the hell are you doing out in this, Tommo? I thought you had to watch the girls.” Liam yelled as Niall and I walked over to him.   
“I was...but I just...” I began, but Niall cut me off.  
“Don't make up excuses, please. Just tell me you were going to see Harry, and maybe I'll forgive you. He misses you like crazy. The look on his face when we come through his door and you aren't with us breaks my heart. He needs you, Lou.”   
I waved him off, trying to figure out how to tell him what was going on.  
“Look, I...yes, I'm going to Harry's. And I really have been busy, it's not that I was ignoring him or anything. How could I? But...yeah, and then Daisy showed me the note and I just...I have to get there, now.”  
“Whoa, whoa, OK. Hold up...what note, mate?” Niall asked, and I rolled my eyes.  
“Are we seriously going to have this conversation in the rain?” Neither of them moved, so I sighed. “OK, my little sister told me to tell Harry that she hoped he was better. So I did, and he wrote her a note back. Apparently, that note was actually for me, so my sisters found out and they showed me, and he...he says he likes me. And that he's sorry. And he probably thinks I read it and now I'm ignoring him and I can't let this happen. I can't lose him.” I rushed through all of that in one breath and they just stared at me.   
“Well...alright then. Umm, we can give you a lift, if you...” Liam began, but I shook my head.   
“I'll get there faster if I run. You guys finish your date. I'll see you on Monday, yeah?” They nodded slowly, heading back towards Liam's car, and I dashed off in the other direction, towards Harry's house.

 

Harry's POV:

It was the thunder that woke me up. I had taken a break from homework, and had fallen asleep, my laptop still resting on my thighs and my head back against the headboard. Not the most comfortable position, but it wasn't really my fault.  
I jolted awake at the first clap of thunder, and rubbed my eyes, groaning. I still had so much work to do, it wasn't even funny. I sighed and moved my laptop, swinging my legs out of bed and standing. I winced only slightly, and made my way across my room and into the hallway. The lights were still on downstairs, and I could hear the television. I debated going downstairs for a bit, but I didn't really have any reason to, so I just slumped back to my room, trying not to think about Louis as I picked up a book. I had so much reading for English to do, and I needed to get started or it would never get done.   
A loud clap of thunder was followed by forked lightning, and I flinched a little. I wasn't afraid of thunderstorms. Really, I wasn't. I just...didn't like loud noises all that much, I guess.   
I moved my laptop to the floor and crawled back under my covers, lifting the book to eye level and beginning to read. The book was fairly interesting, but it had way too much detail, and every few pages my eyes would glaze over, and I would have to read the whole section over again.   
Finally, I tossed the book aside, staring at the ceiling. I couldn't do this. Maybe I just needed sleep. But I had to try once more, before I attempted to sleep. I got out of bed and walked to my dresser, where a small mirror was kept on top. I took a deep breath and brushed my hair out of my eyes, staring at myself. I opened my mouth and tried to say something. But nothing came out, nothing at all. I kept trying, just thinking of different words to say, but I couldn't do it. Not even a little sound came out, no matter how hard I tried. I gripped my hair, tears filling my eyes. This was so stupid. One little thing happens and suddenly I can't fucking speak. Why was I like this?  
I sniffed, trying to hold back my frustrated tears, and I changed into sweats and a jumper that was a little bit small on me. I glanced over at my footie bag, which Niall had brought from school earlier in the week. Just thinking about the sport made me happy. I loved doing it. It was my passion, and I had worked so hard to get where I was. But Nick had ruined it. I didn't know if I could even run, let alone play that sport knowing that me being on the team had been what had ruined my life, not just once, but twice. I sighed and moved all of my school stuff to my desk. I would get started with all that in the morning.  
I burrowed under the covers and piled the pillows on my bed, so it would be like someone was sleeping with me. It comforted me, and made my dreams less terrifying sometimes. I closed my eyes and Nick's face flashed before me. I sucked in a breath and my eyes flew open again.  
Come on, Harry, relax...  
I bit down hard on my lip and forced myself to think of my friends. My thoughts wandered to Niall and Liam, and I hoped that they'd had a good date. They were adorable, and deserved to be happy. And then my brain settled, once again, on Louis. Had he gotten my note? Had Daisy even understood what it meant? Did she give it to him? Did he read it? Does he hate me now?  
All of these questions kept repeating themselves in my head until I couldn't take it anymore and I clapped my hands over my ears. The voices in my head stopped, and I opened my eyes, which had been clenched shut. There were tears on my cheeks yet again. I hurried out of bed and stood by my dresser, hands clenched on the wood and head bowed, trying to stop the tears. No. I was not going to cry over Louis.   
There was a sudden pounding on the front door, and my instinct was to panic and hide, but I didn't. I stayed where I was, reaching blindly for tissues to wipe away my tears. I heard my mum open the door, and there were voices, but I couldn't exactly make them out. My mum's voice sounded worried, but I knew nothing else. The front door closed, and I assumed that whomever it was had left. I put my head on the edge of the dresser, determined to calm myself down before going back to bed.  
And then the door to my bedroom creaked open.

 

Louis' POV:

It took me much longer than I thought to get to Harry's house. It was about fifteen minutes before I finally saw the front door of his house. Lights were on downstairs, and one light, the one in Harry's bedroom, was also on. That was good, that meant he was still awake. I sloshed up to the door and pounded on it. I was soaking wet and it was freezing, and all I really wanted right now was to be out of the rain.  
The door opened and Anne looked at me in surprise.  
“Lou, honey, what are you...”  
“I'll explain in a second...can I please come in?” I asked her desperately, and she moved out of the way for me. I clambered into the house, dripping water everywhere, and Anne closed the door, running to get me a towel. She came back and wrapped a large towel around my shoulders.  
“What in the name of God were you doing out in the rain?” She asked quietly, and I launched into the explanation of the note and Harry probably thinking that I hated him and how I had to fix this right away. Her smile only grew as I talked about how I cared a lot about Harry, and when I was finished, she just gestured up the stairs and gave me a wink. I quietly ascended the steps, toweling my hair dry as I went. Harry's bedroom door was shut, but there was a light on, so I knew he was still awake. I pushed on the door and it swung open with a creak. Harry was standing by his dresser, and at the noise he looked up, terrified. When he saw it was me, his jaw dropped a little and he wiped at his eyes quickly. He had been crying. I hoped it wasn't over me.  
“H-hi, Haz. Can I come in?” I asked, just to be polite, and he nodded, hurrying over to me and pulling me into his room, closing the door with his foot behind him. He held me at arms length, his eyebrows knitted in complete confusion.   
“Sorry for coming over so late...and I'm sorry for not being here all week, I just had a lot to do and I had to take care of my sisters, and it was just really stressful, and then my car broke down so I had to run here and...” I rambled, and he looked accepting, leading me over to his bed and gesturing for me to sit down. I removed the towel, still shivering, and sat down on it, so as to not get his bed wet. He was sitting next to me, and his hands were twisting in his lap nervously. The jumper he was wearing was a little small on him, the sleeves riding halfway up his forearms. God, he was so cute. 

Right, focus, Tomlinson.

“Harry, we need to talk. Just...let me talk and then you can...I mean...shit...just, yeah.” I fumbled for words, seeing his expression become even more confused. But his eyes told it all. He was very nervous and scared as well, and I hoped that I wasn't the one scaring him.  
“Look, I, umm...my sisters kind of...well, they...ugh this is so hard to explain.” I started off badly, and he put a hand on my arm to reassure me, nodding at me to go on.  
“I...I got your message.” I blurted out, and he tensed. He pulled his hand away from me and started pulling at the curls at the base of his neck nervously. His green eyes were already filling with tears. God, I was such an idiot.  
“No, Hazza, don't cry please. Please, just hear me out. I've liked you since the day we met in the bathroom. I didn't know how to help you, but I did what I thought was right, and you were so kind and really nice to me, despite me being the new kid. And your adorable curls falling right into your eyes...I didn't know what to do with myself. And here we are and I know it's only been three weeks, but I really like you, a lot, and I need you to know that. I didn't get the note until about thirty minutes ago, so I wasn't ignoring you, I just was really busy and I...I'm so sorry, you probably think I'm a horrible person...” I trailed off, looking up at him. His eyes were still glassy, but he wasn't crying. It was like he was trying to process what I had just said. And now he was looking confused, and I had to get my point across. I didn't want him to think I was lying.  
Before I could even think of a right way to do that, my heart just took over everything, and I leaned right up and kissed him right on the lips. He gasped and pulled away, completely in shock.  
“Oh, shit, Haz, I didn't mean to...well, I did, but...I just...I'll leave you alone now. I won't bother you again.” I said, absolutely defeated. I stood up, discarding the towel, and headed for the door. My hand was on the handle when I heard something...something I didn't expect.  
“W-wait.”


	26. Chapter 26

Harry's POV:

“W-wait.” The word came out of my mouth in a rough and gravelly tone, and I immediately clapped a hand over my mouth. Louis was frozen, his hand on the doorknob. He turned around slowly, staring at me in complete shock.  
“Haz...did you just...” He fumbled for words, staring at me as though he couldn't believe his eyes. I opened my mouth to say something else, but nothing came out this time. I cleared my throat and tried again.  
“I...Lou...don't go...” I managed, my throat burning from lack of use, and the sound of my own voice strange in my ears.   
Louis let go of the door and ran over to me, hugging me around my middle and burying his face in my chest.  
“You spoke...you said my name...” He gasped, and I could feel a few tears soaking through my jumper.  
“Don't...cry...” I said slowly, pulling back a little, but he didn't stop. If anything, it got worse.   
“B-but you don't...you didn't like it when I...”  
“The note...said it all...” I replied, looking down at his tear stained face and smiling just a little bit. “Maybe...we can...again?”   
He laughed, a true laugh, and nodded. I leaned down hesitantly, not completely sure how to do this, and I pressed my lips lightly to his. His lips were thinner than mine, but somehow still full, and he kissed back quite nicely. My hand moved to his back, holding him in place, and our lips moved against each other, fitting perfectly together. I don't think I ever enjoyed a kiss more than I did at that moment. I didn't want to stop, and apparently, neither did Louis, because he pulled himself closer to me and deepened the kiss a little. I was surprised that I wasn't completely freaking out right now. I barely wanted anyone to stand near me, let alone have someone, namely Louis Tomilnson, kissing me the way he was. But for some reason, I didn't mind it one bit.  
He pulled away from me and leaned his forehead against mine, breathing softly.  
“I've wanted to do that for so long...”  
I just nodded in response still a bit out of it. He kept his arms around me and put his head on my shoulder, and I put my arm around his waist, just cuddling him. It felt so natural, like we had been together all our lives. Wait...together. Fucking hell. Were Louis and I a couple? Was this actually going to work out, unlike the last time?  
“A-are...we...?” I stuttered, still not completely back to talking like a normal person. Louis looked up at me and pecked my lips lightly.   
“Yeah. Definitely yes.”  
A smile wider than I had ever had in my life spread across my face, and I could see his smile coming out too, the one where his eyes crinkle. I kissed the top of his head.  
“Can I spend the night...here with you?” Louis suddenly asked, and I nodded enthusiastically. Louis was the only one who kept my nightmares at bay, and now that he was my boyfriend, I didn't have to worry about getting worked up around him.   
“Gotta ask your mum first, yeah?” He suggested, and I bit my lip. I could barely talk around him, and he expected me to be able to talk to my mum? “Come on, Hazza...I know you can do it. If she sees that you're getting better she will be really happy, and then I can cuddle you all you want...”  
I almost jumped up from the bed at that, and I hurried downstairs, dragging a giggling Louis behind me. I stopped at the bottom of the stairs, nervously chewing on my lip and tugging at a loose curl. Louis gave me a little nudge and I stumbled forward into the den, still holding Louis' hand.  
“Mum...c-can Lou stay?” I choked out, nervous as hell.  
“Of course he...oh Harry! You're speaking!” My mom leaped up from her spot on the couch and crushed the life out of me with a hug. I could feel her shaking slightly with tears of joy, and that almost made me cry too. But I didn't want to cry, not when Louis and I had just gotten together and everything was finally looking up.  
She let me go, wiping her tears away gracefully, and then proceeded to hug Louis with the same vigor. He grunted, but she didn't let him go.  
“Thank you...thank you for bringing him back to me.” She said in a choked voice as she finally let Louis go. He just nodded and held onto my hand tighter. She looked down at our hands, then at Louis, and finally, her eyes settled on me. I gave her a small smile and she just winked at me, nodding towards the stairs. This time, it was Louis who dragged me behind him, and we got to my room quite quickly. He closed the door and shivered slightly. I had completely forgotten that he was in soaking wet clothes. I let his hand go and hurried to my closet, pulling out a pair of joggers and a jumper. I came back, looking sheepishly at the floor, and handed him the new clothes.   
“Kind of you to finally notice that I was wet,” He said cheekily, putting down the new clothes and starting to strip. Now, I had seen him in his boxers a lot of times, because of changing for footie, but now we were dating. And my boyfriend was standing in front of me in nothing but extremely tight boxers, and I was starting to get a little too excited for my liking. I gulped and averted my eyes, waiting for him to finish changing. I knew my cheeks must have been burning scarlet, but I couldn't help it.  
I felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned slowly, to see Louis before me in my clothes. The joggers were rolled up several times, and the sleeves of the jumper extended a good six inches beyond his hands. He looked absolutely...  
“Adorable...” I whispered, and he smiled, pulling me in close to him and pressing his lips onto mine again. I kissed back, just enjoying the feeling of his lips on mine, something I had wanted to do since the day I met him...shit...I was getting hard. What the hell, hormones? Louis chuckled against my lips.  
“Bit eager for me, are you, Hazza?” I shook my head frantically, not wanting him to think badly of me, but he just smirked and moved even closer to me, our bodies practically pressed against each other. I could feel him against me, also sporting a semi, and I didn't know what to do. I was afraid to try anything with him yet because it might trigger something, and I didn't want to ruin anything mere minutes after we had started dating. I closed my eyes and took a careful step away.  
“Lou...I can't..I...don't want to ruin...might get triggered...” I said in broken sentences, hoping he would understand and not leave me. To my immense relief, he just smiled and kissed my cheek sweetly.   
“Of course, Haz, I would never force you to do anything that you aren't comfortable with. We'll take it slow, yeah?” I nodded, glad that he cared that much about me, and I gestured to the bed. I was exhausted, and I was really looking forward to that promised cuddling session. He understood immediately, and turned out the lights as I crawled under the covers. I felt the duvet lift behind me as Louis crawled into bed with me, and my mind flashed back to three weeks ago, when he had stayed at my house and done this same thing. But now we were together, and it was different.  
Louis slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me against him, snuggling his face into the nape of my neck. I felt him place a gentle kiss there, and I shivered from head to foot. This was more than I had ever dreamed.   
“Sweet dreams, Hazza...” Louis whispered into my ear, and I smiled, leaning back into him briefly to let him know that I had heard. At this point, I was lost for words, and I didn't really think anything had to be said...everything was perfect. 

 

Louis POV:

The last thing I expected to be doing at 2 AM on a Saturday was sitting in a hospital. But that's exactly where I was. The details of how I got there were continuously running through my head, and I couldn't stop shaking.  
I had fallen asleep with a smile on my face, something I hadn't done in a long time. But holding Harry, my boyfriend, close to me like that, knowing that he loved me, or at least liked me a little, was an amazing feeling, and he was breathing easy when I fell asleep, so I thought it would be OK. I didn't expect to be awoken only a few hours later with him crying and shaking in my arms. Since I was right up against him, I felt it when he started shaking, but I thought maybe it was because he was cold. But it got worse, and that was enough to wake me up.   
Harry's eyes were clenched shut and his body was curling in on itself. There were tears on his cheeks and he was whimpering. I knew at once that he was having nightmares again. I sat up and pulled him into my arms gently, whispering things to him and combing through his hair with my fingers. He seemed to calm down a little as I did this, and I sighed in relief. These episodes were becoming shorter and shorter, and it was good to see that he was slowly getting better. He still hadn't told anyone who had done it, but I understood why, and I wasn't going to pester him.   
“Harry, it's OK. I'm right here.” I said quietly, stroking his hair and placing a kiss on his temple. He shuddered and opened his eyes, looking up at me in the dark.  
He made a noise of utter terror and wrenched himself from my arms, trying to get away from me as fast as possible. The result was him falling off the bed and hitting the back of his head on the nightstand. I scrambled out of bed and knelt next to him. His breathing was becoming labored, and I touched the back of his head, feeling blood on my fingers. My heart started pounding. He was hurt.  
“Harry, please, look at me. Tell me you're OK...” I said desperately, but he physically couldn't answer me. His breaths were short and choppy, and his body was twitching. Asthma. I almost forgot that he had asthma, and that combined with a panic attack and a head injury? Holy shit, I needed help.  
I couldn't just leave him there, so I just called out for help over and over again until I heard a door open and Anne came bursting into Harry's room, wrapping a bathrobe around herself.   
“What happened...oh, god, Louis, call the ambulance...He needs a hospital, now!” I was shaking and on the verge of tears as I looked down at my boyfriend. His face was pale and he was struggling to breathe. His hands had flown to his chest and his eyes were wide as he searched for air that wasn't there. I dove across the bed, grabbed my cell, and dialed the ambulance. As I talked to them, giving them the address in a shaking voice, Anne tried to elevate Harry's head, hoping it would help him breathe, but when she pulled her hand away, it was stained red, and she decided it was best not to move him. 

________________

Ten minutes later, I could see the lights flashing outside the house, and I moved back as the paramedics came in with a stretcher. I watched with tears in my eyes as they lifted Harry onto one of them, placing a breathing mask over his face and rushing him out of the room. I was stock still until Anne shoved me after them, insisting that I rode in the ambulance with them, and she would take the car. I didn't hesitate to follow them back outside, and I crawled in to the back of the vehicle, still visibly shaking. I sat on the floor and held Harry's limp hand in mine as we started towards the hospital. Now I was crying, the tears falling without stopping.  
“Hazza...I'm so sorry...” I whispered, pressing and holding my lips to the back of his hand. That was all I could do.

________________

And now I was here, in a hard plastic chair out in the waiting room. Anne had gone back with the doctors when they had rushed Harry into the emergency room, but since I wasn't family, I was forced to wait outside. I sent texts to both Niall and Liam, but they were probably both asleep, so I didn't expect anyone to show up. I fiddled with my phone, glancing up at the clock every few seconds. I kept getting up and pacing, because if I didn't move, I would break down completely, and I couldn't afford to do that. Harry was the only one who could get me through that, but he needed me right now, and I had to be strong for him.   
After a good twenty minutes of pacing the room, I forced myself to sit down. As soon as I was settled, I started crying again, and I had to bite my lip hard to keep from making any noise. I had no idea what was going on, whether he would be OK, I knew nothing, and it was driving me insane. I put my face in my hands and groaned. It had all been so perfect. Why did this have to happen?  
“Anyone out here for Harry Styles?”  
I whipped my head up and shot out of my seat, heading over to the nurse who had spoken. I stopped in front of her, twisting my hands together, and I asked her the question I had been fearing the answer to all night.   
“Is he going to be OK?”


	27. Chapter 27

Louis' POV:

It seemed to take the nurse ages to answer, but it was probably only a few seconds.  
“Mr. Styles is going to be just fine. His head injury is nothing to be concerned about, just a small bump and minimal blood. He had a severe asthma attack, but he's been stabilized and given a new inhaler for permanent use. I'll take you back to him, shall I?” I nodded mutely and followed her down a long hallway. She looked over at me and smiled.  
“I'm going to assume that you are Louis?” I nodded again, confused as to how she knew my name. She chuckled at my expression. “He hasn't stopped asking for you. Well, more like mouthing your name. He hasn't spoken a word since we got him stable.” My heart sank at hearing those words. Was Harry mute again? After all we had gone through to get him to speak one word, and it was all going to be for nothing?  
That doesn't matter. What matters is that he's going to be OK.  
The nurse stopped in front of Room 28 and knocked softly, pushing down on the handle. I walked in behind her and saw Harry laying in a hospital bed, looking pale and sad. Anne was there, holding his hand and speaking softly to him, but he didn't seem to be hearing her. His eyes were fixed on me.  
“Well, I'll leave you two alone, shall I?” Anne said, standing up and pressing a kiss to Harry's temple. She walked past me and put a hand on my arm to comfort me. I nodded in thanks, and she exited, talking quietly with the nurse. The door closed behind them and I walked slowly over to Harry's bedside, taking a seat in the uncomfortable chair.  
“Hey, Hazza...” I whispered, taking his hand in mine and pressing my lips to it. I looked up and saw that his bottom lip was trembling, and tears were building in his eyes. “Oh...Harry, no, don't cry...” I stood up immediately and, not knowing if it was even allowed, I crawled into the bed with Harry, being careful of his wires and things, and pulled him to my chest. He started sobbing uncontrollably into my shoulder, and I just held him there, finally letting out my own emotions. We both just sat there and cried with each other until we got it all out. I wiped my eyes frantically and cupped Harry's cheeks, gently swiping away his tears with my thumbs.  
“What happened?” I asked, because it was all I could think of to say. He opened his mouth to respond, but he couldn't force the words out. His eyes welled with tears of frustration again, and I quickly hugged him, pressing my lips to his cheek. “Shhh, it's OK. Don't try to talk if you can't. Just let it happen.”   
He gulped, trying to contain himself, and spoke in barely more than a whisper. “I thought you were him...And I just...I couldn't do it...Lou, I'm so sorry...” He dissolved into tears again, and I held him close.  
“Don't be sorry, Haz. It's alright. You just...you know, scared the shit out of me, that's all. But you're going to be OK.”   
He shook his head against my chest, sniffing as he looked up at me.  
“They gave m-me a full time inhaler now...I c-can't play footie with a-asthma.”  
“Of course you can! You'll just have to take more breaks than usual. It's going to be fine, love, I'm sure that Coach will figure out a way to let you play.” I offered soothingly, running my fingers through his hair to calm him. He lay back, shivering, into my arms, and I gently kissed his forehead.   
“Y-you're gonna get in trouble...” He stuttered, but I just shook my head.   
“I don't give a fuck, I'm staying in bed with my Hazza.” I replied simply, and the hint of a smile appeared on his lips. He moved his head back a little and I smiled, pressing a light kiss to his lips. The heart monitor next to him sped up a little, and I smirked against his lips. He pulled back, his face flushed a little, but still looking rather happy.   
“T-thank you...” He breathed, holding on to me tightly.  
There was a sudden commotion outside the door, and the sounds of loud voices could be heard. Harry winced and clung to me, and I brushed his curls back, whispering soothing words to him. The door flew open, and in stumbled Niall and Liam, drenched from head to foot from the continuous rain and panting. Neither of them said anything about me being in bed and holding Harry, but instead rushed over to Harry's bedside and started talking up a storm.  
“Haz, holy shit, what happened?”  
“Louis texted us but we were asleep and didn't see it until just now...”  
“You're not dying, are you, oh fuck...”  
“Guys!” I said loudly over their constant chatter. Harry had buried his face into my chest and was shaking. His heart monitor’s beeping noise was going up again, but this time it was with nerves. “You're scaring the hell out of him. How about you get dried off and then we can talk, yeah?” I suggested, rubbing Harry's back and looking pointedly at them. They stopped talking immediately and began searching the room for towels. The door opened yet again and there was the kind nurse, who had two fluffy towels in her arms. They went to her with many 'thank yous' and began to dry themselves off.  
“Shh, Hazza, you're alright. They are your friends, they are just worried,” I murmured in Harry's ear, kissing his cheek again. He nodded and wiped his tears away furiously. I made to get out of the bed to allow him room, but he pulled on the sleeve of my, or rather, his, jumper, and pleaded with his eyes.  
“S-stay...please, Lou...” He whispered, and I obliged, settling back down with him cradled in my arms.   
Niall and Liam approached, Liam hopping on one foot. He hadn't bothered with crutches apparently. They both sat down in chairs on the other side of the bed and observed the strange scene before them.  
“Harry, I'm really sorry for freaking out on you...I didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to make sure that my best friend was OK.” Liam said at once, biting his lip nervously.  
“Yeah...we were worried sick...you are going to be OK, right?” Niall added, twisting his hands in his lap. Liam took one and held it tightly to calm himself down as much as Niall. Harry nodded, but didn't say anything. I gave him a little nudge.  
“You can talk to them. You trust them, right?” I asked, making him look at me, and he nodded again before turning his head back around.  
“T-thanks, lads.” He said quietly, and both of their mouths dropped open.  
“Harry...you're talking!” They said in unison, and he blushed a bit before nodding again.  
“N-not a lot...only to people I t-trust. I'm s-scared.” He admitted, and I nuzzled my face into his hair. Liam and Niall looked at me curiously, and then at Harry, as though putting two and two together. Niall pointed two fingers at us, finally realizing what was going on.  
“Are you two...like, a thing now?” I looked at Harry to make sure that he was OK with me telling them, but he was looking at me, doing the exact same thing. I searched his green eyes for approval, and then we both turned to our friends and said simultaneously,  
“Yes.”  
The smiles on their faces couldn't have been bigger.  
“Well, it's about time! I thought we would have to lock you in a room together or something!” Niall said cheerily, reaching around to clap me on the shoulder. Liam was just sitting there, smiling warmly at Harry, who actually smiled back and reached for Liam's hand. Liam took his hand and squeezed it.  
“I'm so happy for you, Haz. I told you you'd find him.” He blushed but nodded, looking back on me fondly.  
“OK, well, now that you're dating...guess we are obliged to give you guys the speech. Louis...if you hurt Harry in any way, we will kill you. No arguments, no questions about it. Got it?” Niall said, his voice deadly serious as he and Liam both looked at me. I blushed furiously.  
“I would never even dream of hurting my Hazza...I'm not like that. So yes, Ni, I 'got it'.” I replied, and they both smiled even more.  
“Good.”  
From that point on, it was just light conversation between the four of us. Liam and Niall told me how they had called a place to tow my car, and where I could pick it up, and I sighed with relief. That had been a thought in the back of my mind all night. Harry didn't really say much, but I could tell that he was happy, or as happy as you could be while in a hospital. 

________________

The nurse came in about an hour later and said that we all had to leave. It was 4 AM and they had already extended the time for visitors. Niall and Liam both got up, holding hands, and bid Harry a cheery farewell. I began to move, but Harry spoke before I had gotten much farther than an inch away.  
“Ma'am...p-please let him s-stay...”  
She looked up, shocked that he had spoken, but her face was hesitant.  
“I...I don't know if I can...it's against the rules, technically...” She said, choosing her words carefully. That's where I stepped in.  
“Ma'am, I...umm, he needs me. He has horrible nightmares, sometimes panic attacks...I'm the only one that can calm him down. Please, just this once?”   
She looked at the two of us, and her eyes traveled down to Harry's hand, which was clenched around mine, his knuckles turning white with fear. “Oh, alright. I'll say it's for medical reasons. But no funny business, boys...” She winked at us before turning off the light and shutting the door. Harry immediately leaned up and kissed me. I was shocked at his boldness, but I kissed him back, and we just sat there for a few minutes, letting our lips get the feel for each other. It was perfect; his lips were so full and soft...I couldn't get enough of them.   
Finally, I pulled away from him and kissed his temple lightly. “Bedtime, Hazza.” He sighed, but turned on his side. I got behind him and pulled him to my chest, and I heard his breathing becoming even as he fell right to sleep. I smiled into his hair and snuggled him to me, falling asleep with him.

 

Harry's POV:

I didn't have any dreams for once. It was all thanks to Louis, and I didn't know how to repay him for that. I woke up feeling well rested for the first time in forever, and I could feel gentle breaths on the back of my neck. Louis' arm was loosely draped over my middle, and little snores were escaping his mouth. I carefully turned so that I was facing him, and pressed a small kiss to the tip of his nose. The fact that I was able to do this now made me happier than I could comprehend. He wrinkled his nose and opened his eyes, squinting in the light coming through the window.  
“Ugh...morning, Hazza...” He grumbled. His morning voice was super deep, and the heart monitor betrayed how I felt about it. Louis gave a low chuckle and put both of his arms around my waist, pulling me close to him. He leaned his forehead against mine and looked right into my eyes.   
“You feeling better?” He asked, sounding slightly concerned.  
“Y-yeah...little bit...you're here...” I answered back, still stuttering really badly. It drove me insane that I couldn't use my voice properly. And if I couldn't in front of just Louis, how was I supposed to go back to school and play as captain on the footie team?  
“Aww, you're so cute.” He said quietly, capturing my lips in a chaste kiss. My lips curved up into a small smile and I just held him there. We were so caught up in each other that we didn't notice the door opening, at least, not until a soft endearing noise came from the doorway, and we both looked around. I mentally groaned, seeing my mother standing there, looking like she wanted to jump up and down for joy. She was so embarrassing sometimes.  
“Look at my Harbear...” She said, her voice choking up with tears.   
“Mum...don't...” I begged, and she sniffed lightly.   
“I won't, sweetheart...it's just so nice to see you happy like this...” She said, and then her expression turned hard as she looked at Louis. He raised his hands in defense.  
“I've been read the riot act from Ni and Li already. I promise to never hurt your son in any way, and if I somehow do, you have full permission to bury me alive.” He said, but he actually sounded slightly scared, despite the joking persona he was trying to put on. My mum smiled, satisfied, and then the door opened again, this time for the nurse. Louis, somewhat reluctantly, withdrew his arms from around me and crawled out of my bed, taking a position next to my mum. They started to talk in whispers and the nurse came over to check on all of my vitals and stuff.  
“Well, Harry, it looks like you're just fine. You should be fine to go home later today. Just make sure you keep your inhaler on you at all times. Next time, the attack may be worse, and we might not be able to reach you in time.” I could see Louis visibly tense at her sentence, and bit my lip, nodding and looking down at my hands. I hated having to depend on something as small as an inhaler. I wanted to be free of that.  
“I'll just turn your paperwork in and you'll be free to go.” said the nurse as she walked around, disconnecting all of the machines. I stretched and swung my legs out of bed, standing up. My head spun a little and I stumbled. Louis was at my side in seconds, steadying me.  
“Be careful, Hazza. You hit your head, it's bound to hurt a little. Just...here.” Without another word, Louis slipped his hand into mine and laced our fingers together. I blushed bright red and smiled a little, looking down at my feet. I was so far gone for him.  
My mum tried not to smile like an idiot as we walked over to her. Louis' tiny hand fit inside mine perfectly, and I never wanted to let it go. I rubbed circles on the back of his hand with my thumb. Not sure why I did it, it just seemed right. He gave my hand a squeeze, and then let go, knowing what I was going to do. It's like he could read my mind or something. I stepped forward and hugged my mum, who obviously wasn't expecting it, but hugged me back tightly, telling me that she loved me and she was so proud of me, you know, all that stuff mothers say. I appreciated it all the same, and only let her go when the door opened again.   
“Alright, Harry, you are good to go!” She handed me my new inhaler and I sighed heavily before pocketing it. It was at that moment that I realized that Louis and I were still in pajamas, and we must look disgusting. But Louis didn't seem to care, and he walked out of the room and into the hallway, proudly holding my hand. I was the luckiest guy in the world. 

________________

We got in the car and Louis pulled out his phone. His eyes widened when he saw the time, and he looked at me guiltily.  
“Umm...I should probably be getting home...I was supposed to be watching my sisters...” He mumbled, and my mum, being the kind person that she is, turned the car in the direction of his house.  
“I'm sorry, Hazza. I wish I could stay with you...” He added, turning to me and pressing his lips to the back of my hand.  
“It...it's OK, Lou. I...I'll be back to school Monday...maybe.” I said, realizing for the first time that I actually had to go back to school. That prospect scared me to no end, but I didn't show it as we drove. Neither of us said anything as we got nearer to Louis house, and all of a sudden, we were there, and Louis was opening the door, thanking my mum for the ride. He turned to say goodbye to me, and I grabbed his arm, pulling him close to me and kissing him hard on the lips. When I let him go, his cheeks were flushed, but he was smiling.   
“Bye, Haz. See you Monday, right?” I nodded, and he crawled out of the car, racing up to the front door and unlocking it. We waited until he had closed the door behind him before starting the drive home. It was only a ten minute drive, but the silence was awkward. It seemed like my mum wanted to ask me something, and that something was probably the subject I feared talking to her about most. I didn't even want to attempt trying to tell her without Louis with me. He kept me calm. Thank god she didn't ask, and just made me a really good lunch when we got home.

 

Louis POV:

I was reeling from the kiss Harry had just given me as I unlocked the door. It was like kissing him for the first time every time our lips touched, and I couldn't wait until he was comfortable enough to do more...because it would be amazing. I slipped inside and turned to ease the door closed behind me. I turned around and jumped slightly. Four pairs of eyes were staring at me, begging me for answers to questions that I didn't know.  
Lottie and Fizzy walked forward, followed by Daisy and Phoebe, until all four of them were standing right before me.  
“Well...?” Lottie asked, and they all moved a little closer, prepared to hang on my every word.  
“Umm...we're dating?” I said, not sure if that's what they were looking for. Apparently, it was, because they all cheered and jumped on me, tangling me in a many armed hug that smelled of perfume and shampoo.  
“Oh, god, girls, get off me!” I complained, but they just hugged me tighter, somehow dragging me into the kitchen and forcing me into a chair.  
“Tell us everything!” Fizzy said, shoving a glass of water in my direction. They all took seats across from me and sat up eagerly. I sighed. Having four sisters who were all about love was exhausting sometimes.  
“Well, I told him I liked him, kissed him, and then I thought he didn't like it, so I almost left. And he called me back, and...yeah, we got together. But then last night he had a severe asthma attack and I ended up in the hospital with him all night. But he's doing much better now.” I said, getting the bad parts over with quickly. They all gaped at me.  
“When do we get to meet him?” Phoebe asked, and Daisy clapped her hands.   
“Yeah, when? I really want to meet Harry...” she added, and high-fived her sister.  
“When he's feeling completely better, and if he wants to, I'll bring him over. Maybe the end of the week? How does that sound to you?” They all grinned and nodded, and I couldn't help but smile myself. A lot of people didn't have the kind of supportive family that I did, and I was so grateful.   
At that moment, the front door opened again, and my mum came walking into the kitchen. Her eyebrows came together in complete confusion as she saw all of us at the table, talking animatedly.  
“Well, what's going on here?” She asked, putting down her things and getting a glass from the cupboard. Before I could even open my mouth, Phoebe jumped up and said in a teasing voice,  
“Lou's got a boyfriend.”  
My mum turned around and gave me a small smirk. “Let me guess...Harry?” I blushed at her knowing look and nodded, and my sisters squealed in delight again.   
“So, that's where you were last night...you used protection, right?”  
“MUM!” I gaped at her, and she laughed lightly.  
“I'm only joking, sweetheart. But your sisters did inform me of where you went, so I kind of already knew where it was going.” I groaned as she ruffled my hair. She then noticed my clothes and her concealed smirk grew.  
“And whose clothes are these, Lou? You look so tiny in them!”  
“Mum, seriously! They're Harry's. My car broke down on the way and I had to run the rest of the way. I was soaking wet and he offered them to me.”   
“Ah, I see...” She said, sipping her water carefully and studying me. “When do I get to meet this boyfriend?”  
“Umm...you know, when he's better.” I replied, giving her a meaningful look, and she nodded, in complete understanding. I stood up to go upstairs, maybe get a shower, and she pulled me into a tight hug.   
“I'm so proud of you, Lou. I know you'll make him happy.”  
“Thanks mum...love you too...” I answered, and she let me go. As I headed up the stairs, all I could think was how happy I was. I had Harry, and he was getting better, even if it was slow progress. There was only one thing that still bothered me...the unknown identity of the person who did it.


	28. Chapter 28

Harry's POV:

“Harry, baby, it's going to be just fine. You can do this!” My mum encouraged for the sixth time. We had pulled up in front of school rather early. I guess she knew that it would be hard to get me out of the car. I had been fine until I saw school in the distance, and then I was frozen in my seat. I couldn't move. I was absolutely terrified of being around more than four people, and knowing that I would more than likely see him at some point during the day. I didn't want to have another panic attack, because now it triggered my asthma, and I didn't want to use my inhaler either. That would be just one more thing for him to make fun of me for.   
“Mum...I...I c-can't...” I mumbled. I could see the crowds of students entering from the parking lot and my throat tightened up, so that I was sucking in short breaths. My mum reached down to my pocket, pulled out my inhaler, and pressed it into my hand. I took a quick hit and felt myself relax.  
A sudden knock on the window made me jump so much that I hit my head on the roof of the car. But a glance just showed me the three eager faces of Louis, Liam, and Niall. I pressed my lips together and took one last look over at my mum. She smiled encouragingly at me, and I nodded. I had to do this. I could do this. I opened the car door and stepped out into the sunny weather. It was the first really nice day that we'd had, and it somehow made me more at ease. I closed the door, wincing slightly at the sound. It sounded almost final in a way.   
“Hey, Haz! So good to have you back...it's been lonely around here without your pretty face,” Niall said cheerfully, giving me a one armed squeeze. I noticed that his hand, however discretely hidden, was tangled with Liam's, and I blushed. Louis and I hadn't discussed much about coming out or anything like that, so I wasn't sure what to do when he stepped towards me.  
“H-hi, Lou...” I stuttered, and he smiled up at me. He glanced around quickly, and then stood on his tiptoes and pecked my cheek.  
“Morning, Hazza,” He said with a huge smile, and I couldn't stop a half smile from forming on my face. He was so perky in the mornings, it was adorable.   
“Well, we had better get going, the bell is gonna ring soon.” Liam said, looking at his watch. Niall sighed and removed his hand from Liam's, and they all started walking into school. Louis looked back to see me standing there, biting my lip. I couldn't do this...if I saw him...god...fuck... Louis started walking back towards me, and Liam and Niall stopped just short of the steps to the doors.   
“Come on, Haz. It's going to be OK.” Louis said softly, fiddling with my fingers in between our bodies so no one could see. I took a deep breath, and followed the three of them into school. 

________________

I made it through the entire day. Louis, Liam, and Niall looked slightly surprised to see me at my locker at the end of the day. I was surprised with myself. I hadn't panicked, I didn't need my inhaler at any point, and I had managed to avoid him all day. But now was the true test. Footie practice.   
There was no way of avoiding him this time, and I only hoped that I didn't end up back in the hospital. No one was in the hallway by the time Louis convinced me to go with him. Niall and Liam were already down there, talking to Coach and telling him that I was back.  
“Hazza, you can do this. I believe in you.” Louis said, twining his fingers with mine and walking me slowly down the hallway. I was sure the I would bite my lip off any minute with the nerves. We were about 100 feet from the locker room, and I could hear the murmur of voices. My hands started shaking and I stopped walking. Louis lurched back and stumbled into me, and I shook my head wildly, scared out of my mind. I couldn't do this...god I was such a loser. Louis looked up at me, and then without warning, he opened the nearest door and dragged me into a small janitors' closet. It was dark and musty in there, and I could hear every panicked breath coming from me.  
“Hazza...it's only me in here...come here, love,” Louis said softly, pulling me into a hug.  
“Lou, I c-can't...can't do this...” I gasped, trying not to break down. That was the last thing I needed. Louis rubbed circled on my back and held me tightly.   
“You're going to be just fine...the whole team misses you. They just want to see you back. You're strong, you can do this.” He pulled back a little, and then I felt his lips on mine, gently moving. I kissed him back, feeling my entire body relax.   
“I...I believe in you...” He whispered against my lips, and I nodded. If Louis thought I could do this, then maybe I actually could. Or, I would try, at least.  
“O...OK...I'll try...” I said back, and I could almost feel him smile. He opened the door slowly and walked me out. We walked all the way to the door, and Louis let go of my hand, looking up at me.  
“You ready?”   
I nodded. I had to do this. Louis pushed the door open and the voices inside faltered. He placed his tiny hand on the small of my back and gently guided me into the locker room. A chorus of voices went up as I stepped around the corner, and suddenly everyone was around me, clapping me on the back and saying how they had missed me. I was completely overwhelmed, and quite scared. So many people.  
“Hey, lads, come on, give him some space...” Liam called, and the team went back to their stuff, talking animatedly about how now they had a chance at winning. Coach walked up to me and spoke in a low voice.  
“Payne and Horan told me...well, everything. If you ever need something, do not hesitate to ask.” He then raised his voice to a normal pitch. “Good to have you back, Styles! Now I can finally get rid of Grimshaw.” I gave a small smile, but inside my heart stopped at the mention of the name. Louis grinned and led me towards our little corner, and he proceeded to get dressed quickly. I pulled out my own shorts and my practice jersey and began to change as well, keeping my eyes averted from Louis. I did not need to show how I felt for him in front of everyone, but I secretly just wanted to kiss the hell out of him and feel him against me, just a little bit.   
“Alright team, outside, warm-up lap!” Coach bellowed through the locker room, and we all headed out to the track. The rest of the team started running, but I was getting nervous again. I didn't know if I could run. I wasn't completely sure how that all worked out, but I was afraid to try for fear that I would fall or something worse.  
“We'll jog slowly with you, Haz,” Niall offered as he watched Liam hobble to the bench. His look was so fond that I actually almost puked. They were sickeningly cute. I took a deep breath and picked up the pace. It didn't hurt much at all, it was more my leg muscles straining a bit from lack of use. I wanted to run harder, but my lungs already felt tight, and I didn't want to push myself too hard. I still had an hour or so of practice to get through.  
We finished the lap and met at the side of the field for a huddle. I looked around, worried, but I didn't see him...which was odd. He couldn't have known I was coming back today, so he should be here somewhere. That made me nervous.  
“Well, we are very happy to have our own Harry Styles back with us!” Coach started off with, earning a loud cheer from the team. “Now we can play some real football. Lets just do a scrimmage and see how it goes. We have only a few games left, and if we want into the championships, we have to win three out of the five we have left at the bare minimum. Styles, Tomilnson, you guys are captains. Pick teams. Go!” The huddle broke and I fiddled with the bottom of my jersey. Louis was on the opposing team. And he was really, really fucking good. He winked at me and called out a name. I just merely pointed at who I wanted, not sure if my voice would even work. I grabbed Niall before Louis could, and he just stuck his tongue out at me. We went to separate sides of the field to discuss tactics.   
“Umm...I...I guess we should just...” I mumbled. They were all looking at me, and it was making me super nervous.  
“Kick their asses?” Niall offered, and I nodded.  
“Yes...that.”  
My team nodded and we did a chant before taking our positions. Louis, of course, had taken the opposing position to me. That was going to make this interesting. The rest of both teams thought that as as well. They all knew my playing ability, but Louis was new and really impressive. Guess we would just have to play and see. 

 

Louis POV:

I had to admit, for not having played for a week and being bedridden for half that time, Harry was a fucking good footie player. Everything I tried to do, he had a counter for, and vice versa. It was mainly a fight between the two of us most of the time for the ball. The scrimmage was tied now, and Harry's team had the ball. I couldn't see Harry, mostly cause I was focused on going after the person with the ball, one of the alternates. One of my teammates took the ball and I dashed up the field to give him someone to pass to.  
“LOUIS!” I halted where I was. That was Niall's voice. I whipped around and saw Niall completely out of the goal, easing Harry to the ground. My heart dropped at the sight and I could feel the color draining from my face. I ignored my teammate, who had passed the ball to me, and sprinted over to Niall and Harry. Harry's eyes were half open and he was wheezing.  
“Asthma...” I muttered, standing up and racing over to Harry's bag. I fumbled the inhaler, but Liam handed it to me, looking concerned. The whole team had stopped and was gathered around Harry.   
“Move, lads, come on, give him some space,” Coach yelled as I came dashing back over. Niall had Harry leaning up against him, trying to make the passage to his lungs clear. I held the plastic up to his mouth, and he vaguely responded, trying to lift his arm  
“It's OK, Haz, I got you. I need you to breathe in for me on three, yeah? One, two...three.” I pressed the button and he breathed in. His face gained the smallest amount of color.  
“How many times, Harry?” Niall asked, and Harry weakly held up three fingers. I counted off for him again and gave him a second hit. And then a third. At that point, Coach had come back from school with the nurse, and Harry wasn't wheezing anymore. His face was still very pale, and his eyes were glassy with tears. He opened his mouth to say something to me, but I shushed him.  
“No, don't talk. Come on, let's get you to the nurse, love.” I whispered, and Niall and I pulled him to his feet, draping his arms over our shoulders. He leaned heavily on us as we started walking him across the field with the nurse right behind us.   
The team was muttering, sounding concerned, and I felt horrible. How had I not been smart enough to pay attention to him? I knew he had asthma, and I needed to protect him. He was my boyfriend, for fuck's sake!  
Liam hurried to catch up with us, carrying all of our bags on his shoulders and limping from the weight. We reached the nurse's office fairly quickly and got Harry down in a chair. While the nurse checked his vitals, I slipped my hand into his and brushed away a stray tear that had fallen onto his cheek.  
“I'll be right back, dears. Going to go get him some water.” The nurse announced, walking out of the room.   
“Haz, don't be ashamed, and don't try to deny that you are, cause I can see it. Lots of people have asthma. You're just going to have to take it easy for a bit.” Liam offered, and Harry sniffed a little.  
“I...I don't want to...I want to play...” He choked on the words and I gripped his hand.  
“Just a few more weeks and you'll be back to full force playing. Just please, don't hurt yourself. I wouldn't deal with it well if you ended up in the hospital...again...” I said, my voice fading away. Niall and Liam nodded in agreement, and we sat there in silence until the nurse returned, handing a small paper cup to Harry.  
“Well, everything seems to be in order. Just be sure to keep that inhaler on you at all times, OK, sweetie?” Harry nodded glumly, and she smiled. “You're free to go when you're ready.” She swept out of the room and Harry just hung his head, standing up.  
“W-want to go home...” He mumbled, keeping his hand intertwined with mine.  
“Alright, Hazza, I'll take you home.” I said quietly, pressing a kiss to the back of his hand. Liam and Niall had such fond looks on their faces, I almost smacked them both.  
“Well, we have another date tonight, so you two have fun! See you both tomorrow.” Niall said, skipping happily out of the room. Liam rolled his eyes, but he was smiling as he followed his boyfriend.   
I led Harry out into the hallway, but as soon as we were out of sight of the nurse's office, I pushed him lightly against a wall and kissed him. He gave a small gasp, his mouth opening a little, and I let my tongue slip inside. He didn't protest, but instead gripped my hips and pulled me closer, tangling his tongue with mine. We basically made out in the hallway for a good five minutes before I made myself pull away, panting.  
“We do have to get you home, Haz.” I said, sounding slightly disappointed. Harry's green eyes were blown wide, but he nodded and released me, taking hold of my hand again. I grinned at him and gave his hand a squeeze as we headed out of school. About halfway to his house, I started getting nervous.  
Anne had told me of her plans, and Harry definitely wasn't ready. But it was all going down today, and I just hoped that he didn't have a panic attack. He had been through enough today, he didn't need to experience that. He had gone almost a whole day without one.   
We reached his house, and before we went inside, I turned him around and kissed him briefly.   
“W-what was that for?”  
“Just cause I can. Let's just get inside.”  
He opened the door, but he had a weird look on his face, like he was thinking really hard.  
“Lou...is someone inside going to jump out at me or something?”  
“No, love, why would you think that?” I answered.  
“You...seem...eager to be at h-home...” He stuttered in embarrassment, and I know I turned red.  
“Harbear, is that you? Come here, sweetheart...I need to talk to you.” Anne's voice rang through the hallway, coming from the kitchen. Harry looked at me nervously, but I just grabbed his hand and lead him into the kitchen, taking a seat next to him. I didn't let go of his hand at all...he was going to need me for this.  
“Mum...w-what's going on?” Harry asked, his voice very soft and scared. I gave his hand a gentle squeeze, and Anne sat across from both of us, a sad look on her face.  
“Harry, sweetie...I wanted to talk about, umm, what has been happening to you for the past two years. I'm going to need you to tell me everything.”

 

Harry POV:

I didn't say anything. I wasn't sure if I could say anything. She wanted to know everything? I couldn't even think of the guy who had caused me all of that without having a panic attack, and she expected me to talk about him? Out loud? There was no way in hell that I could do this. Not now.  
“I...I c-can't...Mum, I'm s-sorry...I can't...” I stuttered out in a cracking voice. Her expression, which had been sad before, now looked absolutely miserable.  
“Harry, I know it's hard for you, especially in light of recent events, but I've been keeping quiet, watching you come home with new bruises every day, and I could do nothing to help my baby. You've always been a sensitive one, and I didn't want to hurt you.” She said carefully, but I just shook my head frantically.  
“I...can't do it, Mum. T-too much...” I could feel my throat getting tight, the sure sign that I was about to start crying. Louis rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb and I turned to look at him.  
“You've got to try, Hazza. Please, she deserves to know. I've known you for about a month and I know more than she does.” He said, and I knew he was trying to be rational, but he didn't understand. No one understood. I could not say his name out loud or one thing would lead to another and I'd end up telling them both who had hurt me in the worst possible way.   
“Sweetheart, please...just try to understand. I care about you so much and I hate seeing you get hurt, and knowing that you went through that for two years, and now this happens...” She said, her voice getting choked up and tears welling in her eyes. Oh god, no, she was going to cry. I couldn't bear to see her cry. She brushed away a tear and murmured, “I wish your father was here...maybe he could help you better than me...”  
“N-no, Mum, don't...” I said, getting quite choked up, and I let go of Louis' hand and moved to the other side of the table, hugging my mum tightly. I felt the tears on my cheeks, and I felt her body shaking, or maybe it was mine, I didn't really know. All I knew is that we were both sad and she didn't know the real reason for my pain. She deserved that from me. The other man in her life had left her. I couldn't do that.   
“O-OK...I'll try...I...umm...” I stuttered, moving back over to Louis. I needed him here for this. I would not make it through this attempt without his help. He seemed to know this, because he slipped his arm around my waist and tugged me to him, rubbing circles into my hipbone. My mum leaned forward, and nodded, telling me that she was ready.  
“W-well...when me and Ni and L-Li joined the footie team, I, umm...had a crush on this guy...” I tried desperately to say the name, but I couldn't force myself to. I looked to Louis for help, and he obliged.  
“His name is Nick Grimshaw.” Louis offered, and I cringed ever so slightly, feeling the ghost of terrible pain.  
“R-right. Yeah. And...I thought he liked me b-back...he was always f-flirting with me. Niall and Liam d-didn't like him all that m-much, but I did. And at Nationals that year...he kissed me...maybe a bit more than that, in the l-locker room. And I didn't know any b-better, and I w-wanted it, so I kissed back. And I...I thought we were d-dating? So I went into school the n-next day, and he sh-shoved me away, yelled for everyone to h-hear that I t-took advantage of him after the g-game...” I lowered my head, tears falling thick and fast now. It seemed strangely ironic that the very thing I had been accused of doing, he ended up doing himself.  
My mum had a look of absolute terror on her face, but she had to know that it only got worse from here. I cleared my throat and kept speaking, keeping my eyes trained on my lap.  
“S-so, everyone heard, and they all h-hated me for it. And I just...I couldn't play with him...that's why I q-quit the footie team. And I th-thought that if I just stayed away, it would be f-fine, but he c-came and found me...that's when I had my first panic attack...and from then on...random times...just beating me up for b-being gay, even though he was t-too. And I was too scared to...to tell him off...so I j-just let it happen. No one knew...n-not until Lou got here.”   
Louis kissed my curls gently at this mention of our first meeting, and I almost smiled. It hadn't been a good day that day, but he had brightened it.  
“It k-kept happening, and Louis caught on...almost c-caught him in the act of it a few times...and he told Niall and Liam. S-so, umm...one thing lead to another a-and he was kicked off the t-team...and he b-blamed it on me. Tried to r-remind the whole school what I 'did' to him. I stood up for myself...I t-tried to explain...but no one seemed to listen. So I...I just went to Liam's and I...had a really b-bad one, but L-Louis was there. He h-helped me.” I finally got through all the stuttering, and my mum and Louis both had tears in their eyes now.  
“Oh, Harry, baby, why didn't you tell me about this before? I could have helped...”  
“No. I didn't want to depend on someone.” I said, without a single stutter, and even I was shocked with myself. I could feel my heart, which had been racing out of control the entire time I was speaking, slowing down a bit. Louis tightened his hold around me and I let my head rest in the crook of his neck, breathing in his smell to calm myself down.  
“And that...that's everything?” My mum asked, looking at me curiously. I nodded frantically, hoping she wouldn't ask about it. I could not talk about that...I had barely gotten through that conversation as it was.  
“I know this is a lot for you, and really hard, but I...I need to know...did you see who did it?” My mum prompted gently, and I froze. Even Louis' body tensed. We all knew what she was referring to.  
“I...I...” I fumbled for words, but I couldn't say it. I could not force the words out of my mouth. He would come after me if I did, I knew that.   
“Please, Harry, we need to know...” She said again, but I couldn't hear her. My heart was beating out of control and my breaths were becoming shorter and shorter. Her mentioning that was reminding me of it, of all of it.  
“Shh, Hazza, you're OK, just breathe with me.” I heard Louis' voice next to my head, and I desperately tried to maintain a steady breathing tempo. The best I could do was choppy breaths, and that was very bad, considering how much worse my asthma had gotten.  
“I'm right here. You're safe.” Louis soothed, pressing his lips to my cheek softly and repeatedly. I held his hand in a vice-like grip, but he didn't wince at all. He just pulled me closer, or as close as we could get while still in kitchen chairs. My mum wiped tears from her cheeks with her sleeve.  
“OK, honey, I understand. You don't have to talk about it. When you're ready, I'll be here to listen.” She stood abruptly and left the room. I knew it was because she didn't want me to see her really cry, and I was grateful for it. I wouldn't have handled that well. Louis instantly pulled me into his lap and cradled me like a baby. I was so much bigger than him, but he somehow made it work, and I buried my face in his hair. Even with all of this horrible stuff that had happened, at least I had him. And Niall and Liam. And at that moment, that was all that mattered to me.


	29. Chapter 29

Harry's POV:

After Louis left, I stayed in my room. I refused to eat and only drank small amounts of water from the tap. I couldn't face my mum. I was so afraid of her asking me about it again, and I was not ready to talk about it, especially not without Louis. If I ended up telling anyone, it would be him.  
I had bad dreams as usual, and they were so persistent that I eventually gave up on sleep and just sat staring at the wall all night, tears rolling down my cheeks as I hugged myself, trying to ward off the memories. I did actually finally fall asleep of sheer exhaustion, but I was woken five minutes later by my mum, saying that we were late and I needed to get up. My heart stopped at her words. We were late. I could not afford to be late to school, not again.   
I pulled on the jeans I wore yesterday and a random white t-shirt and a sweatshirt. I didn't even bother eating breakfast, rushing out the door to meet my mum in the car. Normally I would just walk to school, but I was too afraid to right now, and my mum understood that.   
We pulled up to school as the bell was ringing for class. I jumped out of the car, not saying a word, and raced into school. I fumbled the lock on my locker several times before wrenching it open and throwing my things in it haphazardly. I looked down at my watch and sighed. My teacher didn't take attendance for the first ten minutes, and they didn't show up until after that. I was in the clear if I went fast.  
But apparently, luck was not in my favor today. I heard voices from around the corner and my whole body froze where I stood. The last time I had heard that voice...  
I closed my locker door very quietly and started heading for the music hallway. If I hid out in there until they were gone, I could just say that I woke up late, and it would only be a half absence.   
“Don't even think about it, Styles.” A voice rumbled from behind me, and I shuddered. I dropped my books right there and started running for it. I tried to yell for help, but of course, my voice wouldn't work. I felt large hands on my shoulders and I desperately tried to tear myself away, but it was no use. There were four of them and one of me.  
“I thought you'd want to thank me for our little escapade. Maybe be up for round two...” Nick whispered in my ear, nibbling on it lightly. My voice was gone, nonexistent. All I could do was try to escape. Louis had class in this hallway for the first part of the day. If I could make some sort of noise, maybe he would hear it. With that, I slammed myself back into Nick, who had his hand on my neck, and slammed him into the lockers, making the loudest noise I could. He grunted with pain and released me, and I tried running yet again. His friends were on me in seconds, holding my arms behind my back and covering my mouth, so I couldn't scream. Like I could make any noise anyway. They forced me to look up, and I saw Nick's face clearly for the first time since that night. He looked downright murderous, and I had never been more scared in my life. He raised his hand and I flinched horribly as he smacked me across the face. I knew that would leave a mark.  
“Why won't you talk to me, Styles?” He asked, bearing his teeth in a grimace. I just shook my head, trying to hold in my tears. If I cried in front of him, he would do something much worse than hit me, of that I was quite certain.   
“You didn't...happen to tell anyone of our little outing, did you? You know I told you not to...answer me, you little fag!” He said, quite loudly. How people couldn't hear him was beyond me. The guy behind me removed his hand from my mouth, and I managed to whisper out one word.  
“No...”  
“Are you sure? Seems like people around here are not appreciating me like they used to...you must have told someone.”  
“No...” I repeated. It was the only thing I could say, and I was sticking to it.  
“Well, I guess since you're lying to me, and you told when I said not to, I'll have to teach you a lesson,” he growled, and he motioned to his friends. They lifted me bodily and we hurried down the hall, stopping before a very small closet hidden behind the stairs. Nick fumbled with the keys and unlocked the door. I had no idea where he had gotten them, but he was pretty damn scary, so the janitor probably offered him his life just to get away.   
They got the door open and his friends tossed me into the closet, not bothering to listen to my whimpers of pain as I landed uncomfortably on cleaning supplies and piles of junk.  
“You'll stay in here until you tell me the truth. And then we'll see what will happen.” Nick said in a deadly whisper, and I just shrank back as far as I could. The door closed, leaving me in complete darkness, and I heard the key click in the lock. They walked away, their footsteps and laughter getting more and more distant, and that's when the emotions hit me, and I passed out from the overload. 

 

Louis POV:

It was quite talkative in music that morning. Everyone was excited for the project coming up, which was to write a song and submit it for a contest of some sort. All the people were talking about ideas and different styles of songs, and generally making a racket. I pulled out my notebook and a pencil, resolving to work on this during lunch when I was alone. I was just about to start adding to my song that I had been working on when I heard the faint echo that sounded like lockers being closed. But, for some reason, it seemed a bit more hostile. I tried to ignore it, but then the distant sound of voices reached my ears. I got up, leaving my stuff on my chair, and opened the door. The hallway was empty. Maybe I was just being paranoid, but I could have sworn that something bad was happening. I closed the door reluctantly and went back to my work, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind and I couldn't get rid of it.  
Class finally ended with the ring of the bell, and I was the first one out of the classroom. If I hurried, I could see Harry in the hall and make sure that he was doing alright. I exited the classroom and turned the corner, and my heart stopped. On the floor near Harry's locker at the other end of the hallway, were all his books, looking like they had been dropped in a hurry and then trampled. I hurried down the hallway and shoved my way through the crowd, crouching down next to his stuff. His locker was closed, but this didn't make any sense. Why would he just leave his books here...unless he was running from something...or someone.   
I gathered his books and stuffed them into my bag along with my stuff, and then pulled out my phone. Hopefully Niall was still enough of a rebel to answer his phone in school.  
“Hey, Lou, what's up?” He said after the first ring. I sighed in relief.  
“I...I'm not sure...I think Harry might be in trouble...just grab Liam and meet me in the music hall, first practice room.” I said, quickly hanging up as a teacher walked by. I waited until the teacher was out of sight, and sprinted for the practice room. Once I was in there, I pulled out all of Harry's stuff and started going through it, looking for clues. Everything was meticulously organized, not a single paper out of place. There were footprints on some of them, though, and I kept those out, just in case they helped in some way.  
The door flew open and Niall and Liam bustled in, Liam wincing slightly.  
“We...ran...all the way...here...” Niall panted, easing Liam down into a chair. He was grimacing, but trying to ignore the pain.   
“What's going on?” Liam gasped, and I explained to them what had happened. My strange feeling of uneasiness, the noises I thought I heard, and then finding all of his stuff laying on the ground. I showed them the papers I had pulled out, and the three of us studied them carefully.  
“There's no consistency here...these papers are all from different classes and all from different points in the year. It makes no sense.” Liam commented, sighing and laying the papers down on the floor. Niall looked down at them and suddenly gasped.  
“What? Do you see something?” I asked nervously. Niall studied the papers for a bit longer, standing up and looking down at them, and then slowly nodded.  
“It could be just random...but I only know one person who wears these shoes in this size, and if I'm right, then Harry really is in trouble.” His voice trembled a little, and the three of us looked at each other. We didn't even need to speak to know the suspect.  
“OK...OK. Here's what we do. We need an adult for this, or we will definitely get detention. One of us needs to go get Coach. We are going to search every single bathroom and hideout that Harry has ever been to. We need to find him before something nasty happens.” I said, trying to keep my voice calm, but inside, I was absolutely furious. If Nick Grimshaw had done anything remotely bad to my Hazza, I was going to beat the living hell out of him.  
“I'll get Coach. I'll meet you guys back here,” Niall offered, and he sprinted from the room, leaving Liam and me by ourselves, clearing up the papers. Liam must have noticed how distressed I was about Harry, because he stopped what he was doing and put a hand on my shoulder.  
“We're gonna find him, Lou. He can't have gone far. He wouldn't walk home or anything like that, he's not ready for that. He's in this building, and we are going to find him, no matter what it takes.”  
“But Li...what if he's hurt? What if Nick took him away? He's been hurt too much, so much that he can't even speak about it without having a panic attack. He can't...I can't let him go through any more than he already has...I love him...” I gasped at my words. Had I really just said that. Liam's eyebrows shot up.  
“You love Harry?”  
“I...” I swallowed hard, and thought about it. Had it just slipped out? No, definitely not. The feelings that I got when I was around him, the way it felt when he blushed or smiled, and especially when he kissed me... “Yeah. I do. I really do. And I couldn't bare it if he got hurt and I wasn't there to save him yet again.”  
Niall opened the door, followed by Coach, who looked worried. Liam removed his hand, giving me a knowing look, and the door closed.  
“What the hell is going on, boys?” Coach asked, concern lacing his voice.  
“We think that Harry might be missing...I found his stuff and Niall says that the shoe prints belong to Nick...”  
“That can't be...Nick was in my first period class...granted, he was about 30 minutes late, but...”  
“That would be plenty of time to hurt him, Coach. We have to find him. If Nick is still here, that means he left him somewhere on the grounds, more than likely inside the school.” Liam explained, pleading with Coach with those brown puppy-dog eyes. Coach sighed heavily, but nodded.   
“Alright, lads, alright. Where do we start?”  
“Liam and I will take the bathrooms on this floor, as well as all of his hiding places. You guys take the upstairs floor. Meet back here in an hour if we don't find him. If we do, we call.” I rattled off, as though I had rehearsed it. It felt weird to be giving orders, it was like a spy operation or something. All of them nodded, and we left the practice room. Niall and Coach headed for the stairs, and Liam and I started on opposite sides of the hallway. I went in bathroom after bathroom, checking under all the stalls, and I even inspected all of the janitors' closets and unused classrooms, just in case. But nothing. Harry was nowhere to be found. Liam and I met up by the other staircase, and he shook his head as he approached.   
“He's not anywhere. I wonder if Niall and Coach have found anything upstairs.”   
“Well, we had best do another round, just to make sure we haven't-” I began, but Liam shushed me, his face alert.   
“Did you hear that?” he whispered, and I shook my head. I started walking away, but Liam grabbed my arm. “There it was again...sounded like gasping...maybe whimpering? An animal, maybe?” I strained my ears, and I heard it. Very faint, but I heard it. Liam was right...it sounded like a cornered animal. We moved into the stairwell, listening with all we could. Liam pointed to a small door, one I had never noticed before, and we inched closer. The sounds were definitely coming from behind that door, I was certain of it. I motioned for Liam to text Niall and I knocked lightly on the door. The noises only intensified, and I realized why they sounded so familiar. It sounded just like Harry when he was having a panic attack.  
“Oh, fuck, Liam, we've found him! Call Niall, now!” I turned back to the door and jiggled the handle. It was locked. I rammed my shoulder against the door, but it would not budge. There were now desperate sobs coming from inside, and I myself started to panic. I couldn't bear hearing Harry hurting while I could do nothing to help.  
Footsteps came pounding down the stairs, and Coach and Niall flew around the corner, Niall jumping the last few steps in his haste. Coach pulled out his keys and tossed them to me. I fumbled them but eventually found the right key and the lock clicked. I wrenched the door open, and Harry toppled out onto the ground, shaking and crying and gasping for breath.  
I got down on my knees and pulled him into my arms, cradling him to my chest. His knuckles were red and raw, like he had been pounding on the door for ages, and his face was slightly bruised on one side.  
“Oh, Hazza...” I mumbled, tears filling my eyes. His breathing hitched and he groped for his pocket. I pulled out the inhaler for him and helped him hold it to his lips. He took three quick hits and his hand dropped, reaching for mine. I gripped it tightly, lacing our fingers together, and whispered soothing words in his ear. I knew I was on the verge of completely breaking down, but I had to get him stable first.  
“Tomlinson, I got this...” Coach said, trying to take Harry from my arms, but I held onto him tighter.  
“Louis, please,” Coach tried again, and this time I looked up at him, my tears making my vision blurry. “My son used to have anxiety...I know how to do this...you can trust me.” I nodded and let him take Harry. Then I stood up and rushed to Niall and Liam, hugging them both and sobbing like a baby. I couldn't help it, my emotions just came out with no controlling them this time. Both of them hugged me tightly and rubbed my back, trying to help me relax.   
“We found him, Lou, he's just fine. He just needs to relax and get back to his own mind...” Liam whispered in my ear, and I nodded. I knew he was right, but even then, seeing Harry in that much pain had finally broken me, and I couldn't make the tears stop. I could hear Coach talking to Harry in a quiet voice, and surprisingly, Harry was answering, his stutter very pronounced. I forced myself to turn around, wiping my eyes furiously, and the three of us looked on as Coach stayed bent over Harry, speaking to him carefully and listening to every answer he gave.  
After about five minutes of that, Coach looked up and beckoned to me. “He wants you...” He said, standing up and backing away from Harry. I basically collapsed next to my boyfriend and pulled him into a hug.   
“Lou...it...it was him.” Harry whispered brokenly in my ear. I pulled back and looked into his green eyes, still glazed with tears.  
“Who is him, Haz?” I inquired, stroking his curls gently. He sniffed and tried again.  
“It's him...the one who...it's him...” He was trying really hard, but it just wasn't making sense.  
“Wait...the one who...is the same one who locked you in there?” I asked, the words suddenly clicking in my brain. He nodded and I just sat there, shocked. It all made perfect sense. What other person wanted to cause Harry harm other than Nick? What other person knew his schedule, besides the three of us? Nick. It had been him all along.  
Harry's eyes got wide as he spotted something over my shoulder, and he tried to make himself as small as possible.  
“Grimshaw! Oh, hell, no, you're not going anywhere...” Coach said menacingly, and I turned to watch as Niall and Liam blocked Nick's escape of the hallway. Nick's friends had all run, so it was just him. I stood up, letting go of Harry's hand. There was so much anger coursing through me that I wasn't completely aware of my actions. I grabbed Nick by his collar and slammed him against the wall. It didn't matter that he was a good three inches taller than me, I was much stronger, and a lot more angry.  
“What the fuck are you doing showing your face here? After what you did to him? You should have started digging your own grave a long fucking time ago, cause I'm about to send you to it.” I growled, and Nick had the decency to look scared.  
“So he did tell you...I figured he did.” Nick sneered.   
“Tell you what? What's going on?” Niall and Liam asked at the same time, and I clenched my teeth.  
“This son of a bitch is the one who took advantage of Harry...”   
“Oh, fuck no. You are so fucking dead, Grimshaw,” Niall snarled, but Liam held him back as Niall went to jump on Nick.  
“Don't Ni...” Liam warned, and I focused my attention back on Nick.  
“You're such a fucking hypocrite...You out him and blame him for taking advantage of you, when in reality, you're the closet gay who is afraid to accept themselves, and does the very thing he blamed his crush for to that person. How fucking dare you even be here.”  
“He...he deserved it.” Nick gasped out, now searching for air, as my fist clutching his shirt was starting to constrict his windpipe. “He wanted it, and he got it.”  
People were now stopping on the stairs and in the entrance to the stairwell, gaping at the scene before them. I was so furious that I couldn't form any more words. Niall and Liam had moved and were crouched down next to Harry, who was watching the events before him with an expression of mixed terror and pride. Coach was just standing by the stairs, his mouth drawn in a tight line and his phone hanging in his hand. Suddenly, I could hear sirens outside, and I smirked. Coach had called the police. Nick heard them too, and took advantage of my momentary lack of grip to tear himself away from me, and he tried to run. The crowd parted, as stupid people do, and I wasted no time in sprinting after him. I dove for him and tackled him around the waist, bringing both of us down onto the hard floor. My wrist hit first and pain shot up my arm, but I wasn't concerned about that. I pinned Nick's wrists behind him and held him there.  
“If you so much as show your fucking face here ever again, I won't hesitate to hit you till you're bloody bleeding out, got me?” I hissed into his ear, and he nodded. I could see a puddle of blood where his broken nose (from hitting the floor) was dripping.   
Police men came running around the corner and the students backed against the wall. I got up off of Nick's back and held my wrist, still glaring down at the pitiful excuse for a teammate. He was cuffed and lead away, and then the students in the halls hurried off to class, keeping their heads down. I walked slowly back to the stairs, where Harry, Niall, Liam, and Coach were all staring at me, their mouths open, like they couldn't believe what I had just done.   
“Tomlinson...let me wrap up that wrist for you...that looked painful.” I shook my head, trying to insist that I was fine, but Coach stopped me and forced me to sit down on the steps. He took bandages out of his pocket and wrapped my wrist in them. It only twinged a little bit, but it might have been a very small sprain. I wasn't too good with identifying injuries.  
Niall and Liam were helping Harry off the floor. He brushed off his pants and came over to me, taking a seat next to me. His expression was unreadable.   
“I'm sorry you had to see that, Hazza. I didn't mean to scare you, I just...” I said, but he cut me off by slamming his lips onto mine. I was shocked for a whole half a second before reflex and desire took over, and I kissed him back. It was very brief, and when Harry pulled back, his cheeks were flushed.  
“Thank you, Lou.” He said, no trace of a stutter anywhere. Liam and Niall were fake puking, and Coach was looking at us with something like amazement. Harry put his arms around my waist and laid his head on my shoulder, like I would normally do to him. I smiled and pressed a kiss to his curls. Finally, things were going in a relatively good direction.


	30. Chapter 30

Harry's POV:

Following the events of that day, I asked Louis to stay the night. I just knew that I would have terrifying nightmares once again, even though they had been getting a bit better, and I needed him there. He agreed readily. I also asked Niall and Liam to come over. I felt like I was neglecting them because I asked Louis for help so much, but I wasn't trying to ignore them or anything. It was just that they had each other, and I didn't want to get in the way of their relationship, and I thought, or rather, hoped, that they understood that.   
The first thing I did when I got home was go to my mum. I hadn't exactly told Louis outright by name who had hurt me, but I felt like, with them finding out and Nick being taken away, that I could finally get rid of the heavy weight on my shoulders if I just talked to her. So I did. I sat her down, and with much stuttering and many moments where I almost cried, I told her. I didn't give details...I wasn't ready for that yet, but she got the picture. Her eyes were filled with tears by the time I was done, and she just hugged me.  
“But if that boy ever so much as breathes the same air as you, I won't hesitate to chop off his dick and pickle it.” She said menacingly, and my jaw dropped.   
“MUM!” I gasped, and Louis covered his mouth, trying not to laugh. Niall and Liam didn't care; they knew my mum well, and they just died, falling on the floor and beginning to wrestle. My mum stood up and left for the kitchen. I could hear her angrily slamming pots and pans around, and it warmed my heart to know that she cared that much. I motioned for the guys to follow me, and Louis and I pulled the others off the floor before heading up to my room. I let Liam pick out a game that he wanted while I pulled out my other two controllers from my closet. The last time we had all been in this room like this, I had been completely mute and bedridden. I still wasn't talking much, and when I did, I stuttered like no one's business, but it was better. It was the start to becoming my old self, and I liked where it was going.  
My mum called us down for dinner, and Niall practically ran for the stairs, Liam right behind him. I followed them, but stopped when I realized that Louis wasn't moving, but simply admiring me from behind with a smirk on his face.  
“Lou, w-what are you doing?” I asked, and he got up, moving swiftly towards me. His arms went around my waist and he leaned his forehead against mine.  
“You're just so fit...I can't help but look at you sometimes...sorry, that sounds really sexual...OK, maybe I'm not sorry.” He breathed against my lips, his face only millimeters away from mine. I started to lean in, but,  
“OI, BOYS! GET DOWN HERE OR NO FOOD!” my mum bellowed from the kitchen, and I pinched my lips together, sighing through my nose.  
“Later, love. I promise,” Louis said softly before heading down the stairs. I followed him at a slower pace, hoping he didn't notice my semi. The things this boy does to me...he didn't even have to touch or kiss me, he just got me there with his words. I was pathetic.   
Dinner went by quickly, and then we went back up to my room and played games for a bit longer, until Niall and Liam said they had to go, blaming it on homework. I knew, however, that it wasn't at all about homework. I could see the look of sexual frustration in their eyes, and knew that we were being each other's cockblocks, which almost made me laugh.   
“Use protection, boys!” I heard my mum call as she let them out, and the groans that answered told me that they were embarrassed. I liked it when she embarrassed my friends, just not me. The front door closed, and Louis, who was laying on the bed, hopped up and sat down on the floor next to me, pulling me into his lap. I was much bigger than him, but I liked it when he held me like that.  
“Finally...” He said before kissing me firmly. I placed my hands on his waist and kissed him back, loving the feeling of his lips on mine. Every time we kissed, it just got better, and I couldn't get enough of it, no matter how scared I was.   
We simply kissed for a bit, just letting our lips move together, and then it happened. I felt Louis' tongue swipe my bottom lip. He was asking for entrance. I had hesitated about that a lot, because I didn't want to trigger anything. I had done it before though, so why not this time, after today? I parted my lips and allowed Louis to slip his tongue into my mouth. I didn't hesitate to tangle my tongue with his, and he put his hand on the back of my neck gently, pulling me closer to him and deepening the kiss. My whole body felt like it was tingling, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, just wanting to be near him.  
I felt his other hand on the small of my back, and then it slowly slipped under my t-shirt. I let out a small gasp, but I didn't break the kiss. I didn't feel scared this time...in fact, I really fucking enjoyed it. His hand moved from my back to my chest and just explored a little. I shivered under his touch. Louis bit down lightly on my bottom lip and tugged gently at one of my curls. I let out a soft, breathy moan into his mouth. Damn, that felt good...  
Louis pulled back suddenly and blushed, looking at the floor. I was confused. I had been enjoying that.  
“Lou, what's wrong?” I asked, without a stutter. His cheeks flushed an even darker red, and he mumbled,  
“I...I'm sorry, Hazza, I couldn't help it...” I raised my eyebrows at him, waiting for him to finish his explanation, but he shifted under me uncomfortably, and I needed no further explanation.  
“Oh, Lou,” I whispered, kissing his hair. “You really t-think I care about you...y-you know...I don't care...happens to me every time...” I admitted, blushing as well. His eyebrows shot up, like was surprised.  
“You...umm, oh. I didn't think I...had that kind of affect on you...” He muttered, and I scooped up his face in my hands, pressing kisses to his lips.  
“Of c-course I do...”  
Louis smiled a little bit, and then his eyebrows creased and he looked away from me, as if contemplating what he was going to say next. His hand was still under my shirt and on my chest, and I could feel his fingers rubbing over one of my four nipples. Yeah, I'm a weirdo.  
“Hazza...can...can I...” Louis stuttered, seeming to chicken out halfway through his sentence. I made him look at me and I encouraged him with my eyes to continue.  
“Can I touch you?” He almost whispered the words, and my eyes got wide. I hadn't had a guy touch me with my permission since...well, yeah, a long time ago. I was slightly hesitant, but I trusted Louis and in the back of my mind, I wanted him to.  
“Y-yeah...please, Lou.” I whispered back, and Louis' mouth dropped a little. I guess he wasn't expecting me to say yes. The hand that was under my shirt slid down to my belly button, and then fiddled with the waistband of my pants. He was nervous as hell. Just the thought of him touching me, of his hand being so fucking close, was making me harder. Louis took a deep breath and moved his hand down, cupping me through my pants. I leaned my forehead against his, letting out a low groan. God, it felt good to be touched again, especially by someone who cared about me. Louis seemed shocked with himself for a few seconds, and he looked up into my green eyes. His blue ones were blown wide. He leaned up and pressed his lips to mine, starting to palm me through my pants. My hips moved against his hand, wanting more.  
“Oh, god, Lou...” I said in a low voice against his lips. It felt...it just felt really really good. I wanted him to feel the same, however, because I could feel his hard on underneath me.  
“Lou...w-wait...” I said, and he stopped everything, removing his hand and looking scared as shit.  
“Did I do something wrong? Are you scared? Oh god, I'm so-” I shut him up with a firm kiss, and then stood up, offering my hand to him.   
“No, you're p-perfect. I just...I want to...r-repay the favor?” I phrased it almost like a question, not sure if he wanted me to do that or not.  
“Oh...well yeah, I mean, I wouldn't mind that...but are you sure?” He said cheekily, but ended it with a question. I nodded.  
“T-that's why I w-wanted to...umm, maybe get in b-bed? N-nothing big would h-happen, just...you know...” I blushed like an idiot and looked away, but he suddenly took my hand and pulled himself up, pressing a kiss to my cheek.   
“Yeah, Hazza...yeah, that's a good idea. We should change, yeah?” I nodded and went to my closet, tossing Louis some sweats and a t-shirt, pulling some out for myself. I turned around and there was Louis, in his boxers, again. I could see exactly how much I was affecting him through the tight material, and he was not at all small. and I swallowed hard, trying not to let it get to me. I changed quickly, not wanting him to stare at me like I was doing to him.   
When I finally turned back around, Louis was already in my bed, the sweatpants hanging dangerously low on his hips. I flushed and turned off the big light, leaving the small lamp on for a little bit of light. I crawled into my bed and under the covers, facing my boyfriend. I just looked at him for a few moments, admiring him. Louis Tomlinson was my boyfriend, he was here, in my bed, and he wanted to touch me.  
His arms wrapped around my waist and he pulled me a bit closer. I put mine around his shoulders, and I pressed our bodies together as well as our lips. We both moaned into each other's mouths as our hard-ons rubbed against one another.   
“Sh-shit...” Louis stuttered against my lips, pulling his head back and pressing his forehead against mine. I experimented a little and rolled my hips against his, and he let out a high pitched whimper.  
“Damn it, Haz...feels so good...” he mumbled, rolling his hips up to meet mine. Feeling him against me, even through my clothes, was turning me on more than he knew. Actually, he probably knew, but you know what I mean.   
We continued dry humping, both of us breathing heavily. I had never felt so good in my life, and this was only the beginning. I could feel myself coming close and I stopped, biting down on my lip.  
“Lou...m'close...” I admitted, embarrassed. To come just from that was pathetic in my mind. But he just pressed his lips to mine in a quick kiss and whispered,   
“Me too...”  
That was all I needed. I moved my hips against his more insistently, and he responded with the same. Small moans escaped us both as we got closer and closer. I felt Louis' hands grip my back as he went over the edge, and that was enough to make me come as well. We just held each other, shaking as we both came down, and Louis just looked at me, his cheeks going bright red in the small light. I looked back at him, and without warning, we both burst out laughing. I have no idea what made it so funny, but we couldn't stop, and we just dissolved into helpless giggles.  
“Wow...Haz, that was...” Louis gasped, trying to regain his composure.  
“It was r-really good...” I answered for him, kissing his nose and then giving him an Eskimo kiss. He smiled and his eyes fluttered shut as he rubbed his nose against mine. I wanted to tell him that I loved him, but I just couldn't make it come out of my mouth. I guess I was just being a wuss as usual.  
“We should really...umm, change?” Louis suggested, wrinkling his nose as he shifted under the duvet. Just sitting there for a moment made me realize that he was right. I got up, grimacing at the sticky feeling in my pants, and I waddled to the dresser, pulling out two pairs of boxers and some shorts. I tossed some to Louis and let him use the regular bathroom, while I slipped downstairs to use that one.   
Once I was all cleaned up, I hurried back upstairs and shoved my clothes in the bottom of my hamper, hoping my mum wouldn't notice. I then dove into bed and started setting alarms on my phone. Louis came in a few minutes later, and I looked up at him. His blue eyes had a sparkle in them that I had never seen before, and he was looking directly at me. He crawled into bed behind me and encircled my waist with his arms. He pressed his lips to the hair on my neck and whispered,  
“That was amazing, Hazza. Really amazing. I just...I needed to let you know how much you mean to me. I...I, umm...” He stumbled over his words, and I knew what he was trying to do. I shifted around until I was facing him again and I kissed him quickly, letting him rest his head on my chest. I closed my eyes.  
“I know. M-me too.”


	31. Chapter 31

Harry's POV:

It was Friday...my first game since the incident, and I was terrified. I had been doing much better in practice, but I could still barely make it through a scrimmage game without needing my inhaler at least once. Coach still wanted to play me, however, and I wasn't about to let the team down.   
So here we were, down in the locker room on Friday evening, changing and getting ready. I was already dressed, having stayed after school by myself to practice. I hadn't told anyone that I was staying, so you can imagine the looks of surprise when Louis, Liam, and Niall came in and saw me sitting there in my uniform. Liam was now off his crutches, but he wasn't allowed to play for a few more weeks at most, so he was sitting with me. He had been trying to get me to talk for the past ten minutes, but I couldn't make myself. I was too scared.  
“Haz, are you sure you're OK? You look like you're going to be sick...” He muttered in my ear, so that only I could hear. I just nodded, not saying anything, and chewing on my bottom lip. Liam shook his head and stood up to help his boyfriend get his jersey over his head. Louis took his spot and made me look at him.  
“Hazza, I need you to talk to me, love. Being silent about your feelings isn't going to help you. I just want to see that smile again...” He said, his voice filled with concern. I let my hand slip into his and I laced our fingers together.   
“I...I'm just scared...I don't w-want to have an attack on the field...not a-again.” I mumbled, and Louis' face softened. He pulled me into a hug and whispered into my ear.  
“You're gonna be just fine. Coach has informed the refs of the asthma, they completely understand if you have to leave the field for it. And I'll be there, if you need me.”   
“I always need you, Lou,” I replied simply, and he smiled. I had been getting better at speaking without stuttering, but my voice was still painfully quiet, and there was nothing I could do to fix it.  
“And I'll always be there for my Hazza...always,” He said warmly, kissing my cheek quickly. We still hadn't come out to the team. Coach knew of course, but as for the rest of the school...not quite yet. We figured, after the whole school finding out what happened to me, that we didn't need any more drama.  
“Alright team! Listen up! We just have to win this game and the next one, and we are in for the National Championships. And, of course, we have our own Harry Styles back and ready for some action!” A cheer went up throughout the locker room and Niall clapped me on the back. I blushed at all the attention and attempted to hide behind Louis. It didn't work very well. “Let's get out there and show them what we've got.” Coach concluded, and we yelled in triumph again before heading out onto the field. I had my inhaler clutched tight in my hand as I walked out with Niall, Liam, and Louis. The screams of the crowd hit me and I flinched just a little bit. So many people...  
“You're OK, love.” Louis whispered, leaning up on his tip toes to talk into my ear. I nodded and headed over to our side of the field, doing simple warm-ups while the rest of the team did the usual lap. Coach wanted me to save as much of my energy as possible, and I agreed with him. Liam came with me and sat down on the bench. He held out his hand and I placed the cool plastic on his palm. He gripped my hand for a moment and looked right into my eyes.  
“I believe in you, Harry. You can do this.” He said, completely straight-faced. I nodded, my curls bouncing everywhere, and I brushed them out of my eyes quickly. The whistle had just sounded, and the team was heading over for a huddle. I suddenly remembered that I was the captain of this team, and was therefore expected to make a speech, a pep talk. I twisted my hands together as the team gathered around me and I took a deep breath. I was going to get through this without stuttering, I was determined.  
“Right. So, the objective is to win, obviously. Let's just...d-do our best and have fun out there.” Shit. I bit my lip nervously and looked at Louis for help. He smiled and added.  
“Just kick their asses and we will be fine. We've got this! Hands in!” All the guys put their hands in, and Louis' was the first one on top of mine. He gave me a sly wink and I actually cracked a smile, calling out the cheer in a normal voice, which was now my equivalent of yelling. They echoed me, and we all rushed to our spots on the field. I was taking Louis position while he took the lead as the front man. Coach wanted to start me back easy until I was back to full playing power, and I was actually grateful for it. I fiddled with my jersey nervously, bouncing on my feet. Louis looked over at me and blew me a small kiss, mouthing 'good luck' to me, and that was all I needed to get mostly calmed down. I focused on the ball, and on the signal Louis was giving...it was game time. 

 

Louis POV:

I knew five minutes into the game that we were gonna have a rough one. It's not that the other team was all that good. They were a good match, but they weren't much of a challenge. No, it was Harry. His face was pale and his eyes were wide, and that didn't change no matter what happened. He was absolutely terrified, and I could do nothing to help him. We were on the field, in public, so nothing could be done that would work for more than a few seconds. On the bright side, he seemed to be breathing fine, so that was a relief.  
At this point, it was right before the half, and we were tied 2-2. The crowd was screaming in approval as I raced up the field, the ball between my feet. I could see Harry waiting by the goal, completely open. I faked a pass to Josh and kicked it over to Harry, who swung his leg back and aimed for the goal.  
But it missed, hit the post of the goal, and flew back at Harry, who didn't get out of the way fast enough. The ball slammed into his chest with such force that it almost knocked him over. He stumbled back, clutching at his chest as all the remaining color drained from his face. The whistle blew for the half and I ran to him. Niall was already sprinting from the other end of the field, and Liam was standing up by the bench, looking worried. I reached Harry and held him steady. His breaths were coming out slightly wheezy and he seemed out of it.  
“Hey...hey, Hazza, it's me. Come on, let's get you off the field. Come on, love,” I said soothingly, helping him put an arm around my shoulder. Niall got his other side, panting, and we walked him slowly off the field, getting him to the bench. Liam handed him his inhaler and he took a quick hit. A small amount of color rushed to his cheeks as he gasped in air. I sat down next to him and waited until he turned his head to me. His eyes were slightly glassy from the pain and they were filled with embarrassment. I placed my hand on the small of his back and rubbed gently.   
“You're OK. Just a little mistake. No big deal.”  
“I shouldn't have...I-I'm not c-cut out for th-this...” He stuttered, taking another hit of the inhaler. I shook my head furiously.  
“You were made for this. One missed goal won't hurt our chances. It will be fine.” Liam encouraged, and Niall nodded.  
“You were always the best of the three of us. That's why you are leading forward, why you are the captain. Liam and I, we are just the background that helps, but you do the winning. Don't give up now, mate.”  
Harry bit his lip and suddenly pulled all three of us into a hug, crushing us against each other. We all groaned, but secretly, I enjoyed it. Mostly cause I was pressed against Harry's sweaty body, but let's not go there.  
“Thank you. All of y-you. I needed that.” He whispered, his voice cracking. He clapped a hand to his mouth, and we all smirked. I fiddled with his fingers, grinning up at him. His voice cracks were the most adorable things.  
“Styles, you alright?” Coach asked from behind us, and we all moved away from Harry, giving him room to talk.  
“M'fine. Just needed a minute. Let's get back out there.” He said it without stuttering once, and that alone made my heart squeeze. I was so proud of him for bouncing back like this.   
The whistle blew and we all stood up. Harry handed his inhaler back to Liam and Liam nodded encouragingly to him. He cracked a small smile and followed me onto the field. Niall stayed behind to press the slyest of kisses to Liam's lips before hurrying off to the goal. Liam was blushing, checking to see if anyone had noticed, and I almost wished that we could all just come out. But not yet. Too much drama. 

________________

The end of the game was upon us, and we were up by two. Even I was getting tired. The other team seemed to enjoy just running up and down the field, but not scoring, which was stupid. But they were trying to screw with us and I knew it. They knew about Harry's asthma, and they were trying to wear him down to the point where he had to leave. I was not going to let that happen. When I had noticed the pattern in their playing, I had gone up behind Harry and told him quickly to not leave enemy territory, and only run to help us if I called him.  
So here we were, and Josh had the ball. I stayed behind him in case he needed to pass it back, and Harry sneaked behind the defenders, waiting with grim anticipation. Josh did some fancy footwork, popping the ball into the air, and he used his head to hit it over the defenders and to Harry. He slammed his foot into the ball and it soared into the corner of the net. The whistle blew. We had won. Harry was grinning from ear to ear as I ran towards him, forgetting that we were in public. I jumped into his arms and he stumbled back.  
“I am so fucking proud of you, Hazza.” I yelled over the noise of the crowd, and I could feel him smiling into my hair.  
“Umm...Lou...people are s-staring...” He whispered in my ear, and I detached myself from him. Within seconds the rest of the team was upon us, and we both grinned and contributed to the pats on the back and the ruffling of sweaty hair. Liam even joined us on the field to celebrate, sneakily hugging Niall from behind and nuzzling into his neck.   
“Well done, lads!” Coach roared over the chaos of people leaving the game. “Play like that next week and we will definitely make it to the National Championships!” The team cheered and started back to the locker room. I noticed that Harry, unlike all the others who were smiling and laughing, was frowning and looking around frantically. I slipped my arm around his waist, which is definitely something friends do, and lead him away from the field.  
“He's not here, love. He's never coming here again. You don't need to worry about that.” I said quietly so only he could here. He nodded and a small smile made its way onto his face.   
“You're coming over t-tonight, right?” He asked timidly, but his eyes were anything but timid. They looked almost...needy.  
“Of course I am! But don't forget about tomorrow...you're coming over to meet my family!” He nodded, smiling a little more.  
“I'm a bit nervous about that...what if they don't like me?”  
“Hazza, trust me, they were the ones who practically forced me out of the house to go find you after the note. They wanted me to date you. They are going to love you.” I insisted, pressing a light kiss to his neck, after checking if anyone was around.  
We grabbed our stuff quickly, said goodbye to Niall and Liam, whom we would see on Sunday for a lads' night, and started walking to Harry's house. As we left school grounds, I sighed happily and grabbed hold of his hand. I felt him flinch ever so slightly when I touched him, but then he relaxed and gave my hand a gentle squeeze. We talked quietly on the way back, just about little random things, and I learned quite a bit about Harry. I just listened as he talked, only stuttering a few times. Every time he looked at me, he had this sparkle in his eye and it made me blush. I was causing that...I was making him happy.   
When we reached his house, it was to find his mother waiting with a pizza and some sodas. She sent us up to Harry's room, where he ran to the shower, insisting that I eat first. I sat down and pulled out a large piece, chowing down on it. I looked around the room carefully as I ate, just curiously checking out the stuff Harry had. He had quite a few books and a lot of footie stuff. On his dresser were pictures upon pictures of Harry with other people. I recognized Liam and Niall in a few of them, and they were usually in footie gear, grinning like mad. Then there were some of Harry and a girl I didn't know, whom I assumed was his sister, Gemma. He had mentioned her once or twice. I heard the shower turn off, and I almost went back to get another slice of pizza when I saw it. At the back of the multitude of pictures was one of four people. I recognized Anne and Harry at once. Harry must have only been four or five years old at the time. That girl from before was with them, and so was a man. I couldn't stop looking at it.  
“Lou...what are you doing?” Harry's voice hit my ears, and I turned slowly, pointing at the picture.   
“Who is this?”  
He came closer, but as soon as he caught a glimpse of it, he shrank back.   
“Hey...what's wrong? Did I say something wrong?” I asked, worried as I hurried to him and sat down with him on the bed. He had his face in his hands, and the tips of his ears were red beneath his damp hair. I put my arm around him and squeezed him to me. “You can talk to me, I won't judge you.”  
He lifted his head and his eyes were red. He was going to cry. I pressed a kiss to his nose, and then to both of his cheeks to comfort him. He took in a shaky breath.  
“Umm...well, that's my mum, and the other girl is my sister. She's actually coming in a few weeks, should we make it to National Championships. Umm..and th-the other one...h-he...” Harry gulped and continued in a shaky voice, “That's my father.” A few tears splashed down onto his cheeks and I stood up a bit, kissing them away.  
“Don't cry, Hazza. It's OK. You don't have to talk about him if you don't...”  
“No. I n-need to. It's about t-time I did.” He said harshly, rubbing at his eyes. I stayed silent by his side, my arm still around his waist. I rubbed gentle circles into his hip as he tried to start speaking.  
“M-my dad...He was a good person. I...I mean, we, we loved him a lot. My mum loved him. He loved me and my sister. H-he told us we were the l-lights of his w-world. And then...one day, when I w-was about five...He...he just...” His body was shaking as he started to cry, and I just pulled him into my lap, letting him bury his face in my shoulder. I rubbed his back and pressed careful kisses to his curls until he sniffed and sat up.  
“He left. Just up and left. I came home from school w-with Gemma and there were suitcases by the door and my m-mum was crying. My dad was y-yelling his head off, and when I w-went to hug him, h-he shoved me away. I fell a-and hurt myself, and my sister came running. But my d-dad didn't. He had always come t-to me when I-I was hurt. But he just walked out the d-door without another word. W-we never s-saw him again...”  
“Oh Hazza...” I said, tears filling my eyes. That was the most horrible thing I had ever heard. I didn't know anything else to do, so I just held him to my chest, brushing my fingers through his damp curls. A few tears splashed down onto the top of his head, but he didn't seem to notice.  
“I...I'm sure he had a reason for leaving, Haz. And I'm sure he regrets it. Why wouldn't he regret leaving you behind? You're perfect.”  
“N-not to him...” He said, his voice muffled in my shirt. I forced him to look up at me and I pressed my lips to his. His eyes closed, and I saw the teardrops on his eyelashes before my eyes fluttered shut. We kissed simply for a little, and that was all I really needed at the moment. Harry pulled away sadly and put his head back on my chest.  
“Y-you need a shower, Lou...” He mumbled, wrinkling his nose. I let out a shaky laugh and kissed his forehead.  
“Alright, I get it, I stink. But when I get back we are eating pizza and watching movies, yeah?” He nodded and eagerly kissed me once more before basically shoving me towards the bathroom. I laughed as I snagged my bag, and I was off. 

________________

We did exactly what I said we would do. I got back and Harry was snuggled under the duvet, the remote in his hand and a movie already in, waiting for me. The pizza sat next to him, inviting me. I opened the box to see only two slices left.   
“Fucking pig,” I grumbled, grabbing both slices and jumping into bed next to him. He playfully smacked me and pressed play as I snuggled up to him, eating another slice. The movie was a sappy love one that I had never seen before, but if Harry wanted to watch it, I would. After I was done eating, I curled into Harry's arms and relaxed against his chest. His warmth radiated off him and made me very comfortable.  
About twenty minutes into the movie, Harry nudged me. I looked up at him and he immediately captured my lips with his own. I turned to make myself more comfortable and pulled myself closer to him, kissing him back. His large hand supported my back as he deepened the kiss even more, and I tugged on a few curls, gaining a whimper of pleasure. I was shocked when he bit down on my bottom lip, and I gasped. He immediately slipped his tongue into my mouth and we started making out, the movie completely forgotten. I could feel myself perking up downstairs, and Harry was doing the same, his semi pressing against my leg. I kissed him more insistently. He was trying to be dominant, and I liked it, as he pulled us both down so we were laying next to each other. Our lips never parted once.   
I moaned into Harry's mouth as he grinded against me a little, and his whole body shivered. He pulled me to him, pressing our bodies together. The friction between us was enough to make both of us moan. My hand moved slowly down Harry's chest and to the waistband of his boxers. It was at that moment that I first realized he was only wearing boxers and a tank top, and my face turned red as a tomato. He had been expecting this. Sneaky little shit. I slipped my fingers beneath the elastic of his boxers and he shivered again. His hand did the same thing, his long fingers rubbing at my lower abs, dangerously close to my area. His hand started to slip beneath my shorts and boxers, and I pulled back.  
“Harry...Are you sure? I don't want to force you into anything...” I stumbled over my words, my voice shaking with adrenaline.   
“I...I want to, Lou...if you're OK with it...” He whispered, unsure. I smiled and pecked his lips.  
“I am most definitely OK with that.” I whispered back, and he brought his lips back to mine. His hand slipped slowly into my pants, and his long fingers wrapped around me. I let out a groan into his mouth. Holy fucking shit, that felt good. He started moving his hand up and down slowly, being very careful. I bucked up against his hand, craving more.  
“M-more Hazza....” I moaned, trying to keep it down since I knew Anne was in the house. Harry moved his hand faster and I buried my face in his shoulder, sucking a love bite onto his collarbone. My hands were tangled in his hair as he jerked me off. His hands were so fucking good.  
“Haz...m'so close...” I mumbled feeling the desire pooling low in my stomach. He pulled my face to his once more and kissed me sloppily, using a lot of tongue. I didn't mind it at all. This was a new side to Harry that I had never seen before, and I loved it.  
“Oh...shit...fuck...” I gasped. Harry gave me one last tug and I came, groaning and biting down on Harry's lower lip. I spilled all over his fist, and he slowly helped me through it. I came down, shaking with pleasure.  
“Fucking hell, Hazza...You're hands are amazing.” I whispered, placing a kiss on his cheek. He removed his hand, wiping it on his shirt, and he shifted, whimpering as he did so. I had been so concentrated on myself that I almost forgot about him.   
“Hey, love, do you want me to take care of you?” I asked, looking into his beautiful green eyes. He nodded, biting his lip.  
“Won't last long...that was really hot, Lou...” He admitted, and I smirked. I moved my hand teasingly down his chest again, and then I slid two fingers under his waistband, getting close but not touching it quite yet.  
“P-please, Louis...” He begged, and his voice got to me. I carefully slid my hand into his boxers and grabbed hold of him. Damn, he was huge, holy shit. My hand barely fit around him. His whole body shuddered at my touch and he muffled his moan in the pillow. I started moving my hand, not exactly knowing what I was doing. I was just following what he had done, and what I had researched a long time ago. He seemed to like it a lot, so I decided to make it interesting. I ran my thumb over his tip, feeling precome leaking from it.  
“Shit...fucking hell, Louis...” Harry groaned in a low and husky voice. I was getting half hard just listening to him fall apart underneath me. He searched for my neck and attached his lips onto it, making me let out a gasp. He started biting and sucking, and I knew that would leave a mark. I'd have to wear a sweatshirt tomorrow. I kept moving my hand, spreading Harry's precome down his cock. His legs were shaking uncontrollably, and I could tell that he was near his release. I started going a bit faster, and his lips detached from my neck, searching for my lips. They found them and pressed a steamy kiss to them.  
“Lou...m'gonna come...” He warned me, and not a moment afterward, he was spilling onto my hand with a guttural moan. His curls, previously dry from the shower, were now slightly sweaty and sticking to his forehead. His pupils were huge and his cheeks were flushed a dark pink.   
“So fucking beautiful, Hazza.” I murmered, kissing his forehead and helping him come down.  
“You...y-you...that w-was...holy shit...” Harry stuttered, blushing even more. I gave a soft laugh and rubbed my nose against his.  
“Let's go get cleaned up. We need to get some sleep before tomorrow. I've got four sisters, love, they are a lot to handle.” He nodded, and we raced out of the room, trying to see who could make it back first.


	32. Chapter 32

Louis' POV:

I woke up the next morning snuggled into someone's chest. I didn't bother opening my eyes, but instead shifted a little and drew in a deep breath through my nose. Yep, it was Harry. He always smelled like strawberries. I tightened my arms around him and tucked my head into his neck. He shifted with a small groan and his arm draped over my waist casually. Waking up like this was something I could get used to. It wasn't rough or sexy or anything like that... it was just nice.  
“Morning, Lou,” Harry rumbled in his deep morning voice, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. I kissed his neck lightly and forced my eyes open a little, just so I could look at my beautiful boyfriend.   
“Good morning, Hazza.” I replied, taking in his adorable fluffy curls and his half-open green eyes. They were staring at me, and I saw nothing but love in them. I eagerly pressed a small kiss to his lips and hugged him, feeling his warmth radiating off him. He lay still for a moment, drawing circles on my back, and then he gasped, sitting straight up and knocking me completely off the bed.  
I picked myself up off the floor with a groan and sat back down on the bed, looking confused at Harry. His eyes were wide and he was breathing through his nose His expression was one of absolute terror.  
“Hazza...what's wrong? You OK, love?” I asked, placing a hand on his arm.   
“I...I have to m-meet your family today...” He mumbled, and I let out a laugh.  
“Damn it, Haz, I thought I did something wrong or you were about to have an attack or something. Love, meeting my family is going to be fine. They love you already, and they barely know you.”  
“You can't know that, Lou,” Harry said in his now quiet voice, looking at me and gripping my hand. I shook my head, pecking his cheek.  
“I could bring a lamppost home as a date and they would approve. They just want me to be happy. And I'm happy with you.”   
Harry blushed a nice shade of scarlet and looked down bashfully, a small smile lighting up his face.  
“I'm happy with you too...but I'm still nervous.” He admitted, biting his lip. I sighed. What could I do that would make him less nervous? Maybe even laugh a little? I missed his laugh so much, I hadn't heard it since before that night. I looked at him, and then an idea popped into my head. I reached out my hand and poked his side carefully. He jumped and squirmed away. Perfect. I proceeded to jump on top of him and tickle the crap out of him. He gasped as he fell backwards, and then started giggling like a little girl.  
“L-lou, stop it...” He gasped out, but I wasn't stopping. He looked so amazing, with his curls spilling over the pillow and his eyes squeezed shut. His dimples were out as he laughed, and I couldn't stop looking at him.   
I stopped tickling him and dove down, kissing him hard on the mouth. He immediately gripped the back of my head and pulled me down closer, keeping our lips pressed together. A small whimper left me and I kept kissing him until I heard someone clearing their throat. I jumped about a foot and rolled off of Harry, just to see Anne in the doorway, looking amused.  
“Harry, I suggest you and Louis get out of bed and get dressed. We are due to be at the Tomlinsons' in an hour.” Harry nodded, blushing a little and biting on his swollen lip. Anne turned to leave, but then turned back to me and said with a smirk,  
“Oh, and Louis, you might want to use some coverup for that...don't know how your mom will take you coming home with a hickey.” I slapped a hand to my neck, blushing furiously, and she left with a little laugh. Harry looked slightly amused and rather pleased with himself as he dragged himself out of bed. I couldn't stop my eyes from wandering over his body as he moved around the room. It hadn't been my imagination...that boy was packing in the lower region.   
Harry walked over to me as he caught me staring, and he removed my hand slowly from my neck. His eyes got wide and he looked at me, seemingly shocked.   
“D-did, I do that?” He asked, but his tone was amused. I grumbled and pushed my way past him, heading for the bathroom to check out how bad it was. I gasped when I saw the purpling mark on my neck. It was a lot bigger than I thought it would be.  
“Styles, I'm gonna kill you...” I mumbled as I walked back into the room, and he just smirked. His tank top slipped down past his collar bone at that moment, and I laughed out loud.  
“What?” Harry asked, sounding insecure and worried.  
“Umm...you might need coverup as well...sorry love,” I told him, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. He ran for the bathroom and came back with a bright red face.  
“Holy shit, Lou...” He said quietly. “How the fuck am I supposed to hide that?”  
“I might ask you the same question. At least yours can be hidden by a shirt. Mine is a bit too high up for that.”   
“Good point. Let's g-get dressed and I'll help you.” He suggested timidly, and I nodded, searching for new clothes. I pulled out my usual skinny jeans and a t-shirt and dressed quickly. I ran a hand through my hair and swished it to the side as usual, checking it in the small mirror on Harry's dresser.  
“Lou, do I look OK?” Harry's voice asked from his closet, and I turned around. My mouth fell open.   
Harry was dressed in dark blue skinny jeans, which I didn't even know he owned, a white t-shirt with a black and grey flannel over it, and some worn brown boots. I was so used to seeing him in a footie uniform or his everyday black skinnies and white shirt that I could do nothing more than gape at him.   
“It looks bad, doesn't it? I'll just go change...” He mumbled, turning around, and suddenly I forced my body to move. I took three large steps, closing the distance between us, and I grabbed his arm.  
“You look absolutely amazing, Harry. Like, holy shit. I didn't know you owned this stuff.” He shrugged.  
“I have a lot of it...I just don't want to be made fun of at school for it.”  
“I'd beat them up. You've never looked better, love. Come on, let's go get some food so we aren't starving when we get to my house. Although, my mum is bound to try to cook a lot, so save some of your appetite.” He nodded and reached for my hand. I held it gently, my fingers caressing the back of his hand before twining with his. He smiled and leaned down, kissing me gently on the cheek. I leaned into it and he lead me out into the hallway and down the stairs.  
Anne was waiting for us, slices of toast already buttered and waiting with cups of water. Harry and I sat down and started eating, but Harry was back to being a nervous wreck, just barely nibbling on his toast and pulling on a few loose curls. I placed my hand on his knee under the table, and he froze where he sat, looking over at me sideways so his mum wouldn't notice.   
“It's going to be fine. Just relax. I'll be there the whole time.” I whispered in his ear, giving his knee a small squeeze. He placed his larger hand on top of mine and tingles shot up my arm. Would I ever get used to him touching me? Probably not. 

________________

Harry was relatively calm until we got in the car. He drummed his fingers on the seat, chewing on his bottom lip. He bites his lip all the time, it's a wonder it hasn't fallen off yet. I again placed my hand on his knee, tracing the patterns of his bones to calm him down. When we pulled up in front of my house, however, he grabbed my hand, squeezing it extremely hard, and he refused to open the door.   
“Hazza...listen to me...” I pulled myself to him until our foreheads were touching and I was looking him right in the eye. “My family is going to love you. You are fucking perfect, do you hear me?” He nodded, and I rubbed my nose against his. I watched his eyes flutter shut at the motion, and then I pressed my lips to his three times in quick succession. “You ready, love?”  
“Y-yeah. M'ready.” He said, trying to sound confident, but his voice still came out quietly. I smiled and opened my door, pulling Harry behind me, and we walked up to my front door, holding hands. This was it. The moment of truth. Now that I thought about it, I was a little nervous myself. But I kept my composure and opened the door, Harry and Anne following me in.

 

Harry POV:

“Mum, I'm home, and I brought guests!” Louis called, and then I heard doors slam upstairs. His mum came out of the kitchen and four girls came pounding down the stairs. I barely had time to let go of Louis' hand before I was jumped upon by two little twins. I staggered a little bit but managed to hold both of them. I could feel Louis looking at me, a little worried, but I was focused on the girls. They were so adorable.   
“Hi! You're Harry right? The boy my brother loves?” The one on my right asked, leaning back in my arms to get a good look at me. I nodded, not really sure if I could trust myself to speak.  
“You're feeling better, right Harry?” The other one asked, and I chuckled, putting them both down.  
“Hi. You must be Daisy and Phoebe. Yeah, I'm doing alright.” I answered, somehow managing to keep my voice even and not stutter. It was taking all I had, but I wanted to do it for Louis, so his family would like me. I knelt down in front of them, and Daisy reached out hesitantly.  
“Your hair is pretty. Can I touch it?”   
“Of course you can.” I replied, and both Daisy and Phoebe had fun tugging at my curls. I smiled and listened around as my mum introduced herself to Louis' mum, and as one of Louis' older sisters came down and hugged him. She whispered something in his ear, and he almost smirked.   
I stood up and looked over at Louis, not sure where to go from here. He nodded at our mums, and I walked over carefully with Louis.  
“Mum, this is my boyfriend, Harry. Harry, this is my mum.” I held out my hand to shake hers, but she just pulled me into a tight hug.  
“It's so nice to meet you, Harry. Louis talks about you all the time. You can call me Jay, by the way.” She looked me over and winked at Louis. “He's just as hot as you said he was.”  
“Mum...” Louis grumbled, blushing. I grinned at his embarrassment, and then felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see the sister who had hugged Louis standing behind me.  
“Hi, Harry. You can just call me Fizzy. That up there is Lottie. She...umm, wasn't expecting you to be this hot, apparently.” I blushed furiously.  
“M'not hot...” I mumbled, brushing a hand through my curls. Fizzy grinned.  
“Modest too...wow, you and Lou are made for each other.”   
She walked back up the stairs to talk to Lottie, and Louis slipped his hand into mine. I looked down at him and couldn't stop smiling.  
“What did I tell you, love?” He whispered, and I just nudged him, not wanting to admit that he was right.   
Everyone made their way into the slightly small kitchen and squeezed around the table. Louis sat on one side and Lottie ended up on my other side. She looked up at me quickly and blushed. I felt slightly uncomfortable with it, cause it was weird. People didn't normally like me.  
“H-hello, Harry.” She said, stuttering a little bit. I smiled at her and passed her some food.  
“You're Lottie, right?” I asked, just trying to make conversation, and she nodded, almost dropping the bowl she was holding. Louis saw this and chuckled, whispering in my ear,  
“I think my sister has the hots for you...” I blushed, but didn't say anything, and the meal began.   
Jay had cooked so much food, I didn't know where to start. As I was filling up my plate, trying not to take too much, Jay asked me questions.  
“So, Harry, how is my son treating you?” Wow, she started off serious. Louis groaned, and I in turn held his hand lightly under the table.   
“He's perfect...you know, as far as good boyfriends go. He cares about me, and that's all I need.” I answered carefully. I didn't mention anything about how good he made me feel, cause that would be weird to discuss while eating, and surrounded by girls. Jay nodded approvingly, and ate some of her food before turning to my mum and starting to talk to her.  
“Lou, what's on your neck?” Daisy asked promptly, and Louis slapped a hand against his neck.  
“Fuck...” He mumbled under his breath, but Jay heard and looked around to see what all the noise was about.  
“Harry, you neglected to mention how my son pleasures you, and apparently how you pleasure him.” she said, acting like it was nothing out of the ordinary to be discussing our sex lives in front of four young girls and my mother. We were both blushing as the entire table burst out laughing, even though Daisy and Phoebe didn't completely understand. We ate the rest of the meal just talking about things like school and footie and our favorite video games and all sorts of random topics.   
When we finished, I helped Louis' mum clear away the dishes and the girls disappeared with Louis into the other room. I felt slightly awkward just being alone with Jay, but she just smiled kindly at me as I scrubbed dishes clean.  
“Harry, I need you to know that you make Louis extremely happy. I haven't seen him like this since before my divorce, and I've missed it terribly. Please don't break his heart, whatever you do.”  
“I...I have no intention of hurting your son in any way. I...umm, I care a lot about him.”  
“You love him. I can see it in your eyes. And I know he loves you too.” She said in a kind voice, and I blushed.   
“I promise I won't break his heart. I swear it.”

________________

After cleaning up from our late lunch, we all decided to head to the den and watch a movie. It was the twins that suggested it, and it was probably cause they wanted to see me and Louis cuddle. They picked a princess movie, and they turned off all the lights. My mum and Jay were seated in chairs, and Lottie and Fizzy took over the love seat. That left me and Louis and the twins on the couch. I had barely sat down when both Daisy and Phoebe crawled into my lap, giggling. Louis sighed, and I blushed, realizing that he wanted to be the one sitting in my lap. But he settled for wrapping his arm around my waist, and we got comfortable, the movie starting.  
About halfway through the movie, the twins fell asleep in my arms, leaning against each other. I looked down at their little blonde heads and grinned. This is what it would be like having kids with Louis. Wow, that's like...really far away, and a huge step...but I couldn't stop myself from thinking about something as wonderful as that. Louis looked up at me and stretched his neck, pressing a kiss to my cheek.  
“You're so good with them, Hazza. I can't get them to fall asleep when they are supposed to.” He whispered as the princess on the screen finally got together with her prince.  
“Your family is amazing, Louis. I wish I had something like this. But, at least I have you,” I said, leaning down to kiss him on the lips just as the movie ended. It was the most cliché moment ever, but I wouldn't have asked for it any other way.


	33. Chapter 33

Harry's POV:

The rest of the weekend was pretty normal for me. I went home after the movie, but not before Louis kissed me goodbye in his room, which then turned into a make out session. I couldn't get used to the feeling of Louis kissing me, of his hands roaming my body and touching me. But I did have to go, and I spent the rest of the weekend texting Louis and finishing up my homework. I also had to start cleaning, because my sister was coming home this week. Her school had a break for a good three weeks, and she wanted to spend time with me and see us play in the National Championship game, assuming we got in. On Sunday, the boys came over for a lads' day, and we spent the day pigging out and playing video games. We did it in couples, and while Niall and Liam were playing, Louis and I would sneak kisses behind their backs. 

________________

When I got to school on Monday, I was greeted with a sneaky kiss from my boyfriend, and from there my day just kept getting better. I went to my first class and got an A on my exam. I then saw Louis in the hallway and he winked at me, the sneaky bastard. He looked really good today, and I almost ran into the wall because I was staring at him. I was so far gone for him. I then had people coming up to me, people I had never spoken to in my life, and telling me how they thought I was great at footie and thanking me for getting rid of Nick. I inwardly flinched every time they mentioned his name, but I smiled on the outside. Never before had people been this nice to me, and it felt good to not be afraid to walk down the hallways alone.   
I got out of my last class before lunch a little late. I had to stay back to talk to my teacher about a school project that I had missed out on while I was absent. I hurried to my locker, intending to meet Louis, Niall, Liam, and the rest of the team, downstairs for lunch. But I heard it again. Just as I was putting my books away, I heard the faint sound of a piano being played. I hadn't heard it in ages, since before the incident. I walked into the music hallway, listening. Whomever it was, they were playing a new song, and it was beautiful. I felt like I had heard the song somewhere before, but I couldn't place it. And how could I have heard it, if he had never played it before? I found myself sitting down against the wall and listening, taking in every note and every phrase. It was amazing work.   
My eyes shot open and I leaped to my feet, my hands shaking slightly. I had felt something...that feeling deep in my stomach that I got whenever I saw Louis in the hallway...love. Affection.   
No. This wasn't possible. I was just in love with the music. Who wouldn't be, it was perfect! I shook myself and hurried to the cafeteria, running through the line and settling at the footie table. As soon as I got there, I realized that my best friends and my boyfriend were nowhere to be seen.  
“Guys...where's Louis? And Niall and Liam?” I asked the others curiously, but they all shook their heads, muttering about not knowing, and then just going back to their food. I sat down slowly, taking a bite of my food. They had promised to be here...so where the hell were they? They were never late. Maybe they just got held back by a teacher or something? I didn't want to think too much on it.   
I waited the rest of lunch, but they never showed up. I had texted all three of them, but none of them had answered, and it made me feel weird. Almost like I wasn't good enough for them or something. I knew that that wasn't true at all, but it still was a lingering thought in the back of my mind as I headed off to afternoon classes a little early.  
I rounded the corner and ran right into the three of them, who were hurrying in the other direction.  
“Oh...hey guys...w-where were you at lunch?” I asked as they steadied themselves. Louis looked almost panicked for a moment before his face smoothed over into his usual cheeky grin.  
“I'm so sorry, Harry, we got held back in class and just got out.” He said, and he sounded sincere.  
“But...I texted you...” I prompted, and Niall jumped on that one.  
“We weren't allowed to take out our phones. You know how teachers are here...we just got them.” I eyed him suspiciously, but I didn't want to think badly of them, because they seemed to be telling the truth. So I just nodded, and we bid each other farewell and headed off to our respective classes.

________________

That afternoon after practice, the guys came over and we decided to finally buckle down on our homework, which most of us had been neglecting due to recent events. I couldn't fail to notice how the three of them kept looking at one another, almost like they had some sort of secret that they weren't telling me. I almost asked them several times, but I couldn't get up the courage. What if they didn't actually like me, and were being my friends out of pity? What if Louis was going to break up with me? I was too scared to ask for fear that they might be true. I didn't want to know. So I just kept quiet and did my work, lounging around after I was done.  
Liam and Niall left first, saying that they needed to get home, but Louis and I both knew it was because they wanted to make out without us around and we respected that.   
When they left, Louis sighed and packed up his stuff, saying that he should get home too so he didn't miss supper with his family. He closed his bag and then came over to where I was standing, wrapping his arms around my waist.  
“What's wrong, Hazza? You seemed down today after lunch.” He asked, hugging me tightly. I rested my chin on top of his head and just shook my head slightly.  
“N-nothing, Lou, it's nothing.” I said, hoping he would drop it. But I should have known Louis better than that. He pulled away from me and looked me dead in the eye.  
“Tell me what's on your mind.”   
“Are y-you gonna break up with me?” I asked in a rush, tears filling my eyes at the mere thought of it. Louis looked shocked and almost upset. He cupped my face in his tiny hands.  
“Harry, why would you think that? Of course I'm not breaking up with you!” He said incredulously, pressing his lips to mine gently. I pulled away, and he looked a little hurt.  
“I...you just seemed distant today and I thought maybe...that you d-didn't like me anymore and...” I choked out, tears now sliding down my cheeks against my will. He thumbed them away and pulled me in close to him.  
“Don't ever think like that. I am not going to break up with you...you'll always be my Hazza, no matter what happens.” He said soothingly, kissing my cheeks and looking up at me. I gave a watery smile.  
“And you'll always be my Lou.” I leaned in and kissed him, and he pulled me close, deepening it. I felt that sensation in my stomach again, the same one I had felt earlier when I was listening to the piano player. I hurriedly pushed that thought away and slipped my tongue into my boyfriend's mouth, earning a slight moan from him as our tongues tangled together. We made out for a good five minutes, not letting it farther than that, and then Louis pulled back, his lips bright red and his cheeks slightly flushed.  
“I really should go, Hazza. I will see you tomorrow, yeah?” I nodded and he pressed one more kiss to my lips before leaving. I sighed and lay back on my bed, staring at the ceiling. As much as I tried, I couldn't help feeling guilty about feeling the same way about Louis and the piano player. No. Not the piano player. The music. Either way, I felt horrible about it.  
Maybe it was a one time thing...the music made you think of Louis somehow...don't worry about it, I thought to myself. I nodded to no one in particular and went downstairs to help my mum with dinner.

________________

The week just got worse from there.  
My morning on Tuesday was alright, I got to see Louis and Niall and Liam, but they were missing at lunch again. I knew that I was staying after in my class to help the teacher with something every day this week, but that didn't explain why they ditched me again. On top of that, I heard the piano player again, and the feeling inside me only grew the longer I listened. I felt like a horrible person for feeling that way, but I couldn't help it.   
Wednesday was even worse. When I got to school, no one was there waiting for me. I looked around the entire school and even out on the field, in case they all came in for early practice, but I didn't see them at all. I did see Louis in the hallway later that day, but he didn't see me, and I ended up looking like an idiot waving to no one in particular, at least, in the eyes of my fellow students. I was starting to feel really sad as I sat down with the footie team, minus Louis, Niall, and Liam, for lunch. All three of them would act completely normal at practice, but any other time of the day, they were ignoring me or whispering together. I hated feeling neglected, and as much as I tried not to let it get to me, it was.   
I sighed and got up from the table. The team said goodbye to me and went back to eating. I, meanwhile, walked slowly up to the music hallway. Maybe I would have some time to work on one of my songs while my friends were MIA. But the moment I entered the hallway, I could hear the beautiful sound of a piano, and I forgot all about my own writing, and even the food in my hand. I just sat down on the floor and listened, feeling utterly miserable at the feeling of happiness that was welling up inside me. What if I was actually falling for this piano player? Would that make a difference to the feelings I had about Louis? I didn't want to break up with Louis, I loved him. I mean, I had never actually said it to him, but it was still true. But then, what were the feelings I was having right now?   
I heard the music stop and I stood up, hurrying quickly from the hallway. I didn't want anyone to catch me listening, or they might get the wrong idea. I got to my next class super early, and the teacher gave me a weird look, but I ignored it and sat down in the back as usual. All of this was running through my mind and I just needed to sort it all out before I had a complete mental breakdown. I thought about talking to my mum about it, but it was too much. I didn't want to put that on her, and I didn't want her feeling bad for me either. I had to take care of this one myself.   
Then there was Thursday. Same as Wednesday. No one there when I got to school, no one there at lunch, and I listened to the piano player again. And at our quick practice before our game, Louis, Niall, and Liam acted like everything was fine. Louis even kissed my cheek while we were changing, and I didn't mind it, it made me happy, but then it reminded me of what I felt when I listened to that music, and I just got sad again.  
The good part of the day was that we won our game. It was a tough one, and we only won because Louis got the penalty shot, but it took my mind off of all the stress I had been having. This meant that we were in the National Championships in two weeks! Louis even walked me home and kissed me goodnight, which made me almost giddy. The moment I was alone in my room and showered, however, it all came back, and gave me such a pounding headache that I didn't get any sleep. All I thought about that night was Louis and the piano guy. They both gave me the same fucking feeling, and how the hell was I supposed to like two guys at once? And one of them didn't even know I existed. I didn't even have a face or a name to the guy. And Louis was my boyfriend. So what the fuck was I supposed to do? Not to mention that my only friends had been ditching me at every opportunity they got, and it was making me depressed. I didn't want to be depressed. Things were supposed to be looking up. Nick was gone after all the terrible things he did to me, I was almost fully recovered, I was back on the footie team, I had an amazing boyfriend and two best friends, and the school was slowly starting to not hate me. So why did I feel so horrible?

________________

Friday dawned, and I was still awake. I didn't even bother trying to grab a few minutes sleep, I just pulled on clothes and went downstairs, laying my head on the table. My mum came in ten minutes later, looking worried. She put her hand on my shoulder and I jolted out of my thoughts.   
“Hey, honey, you don't look so good...”  
“M'fine...just didn't get a lot of sleep last night.” I mumbled, taking the water she handed me.  
“You can stay home if you'd like, baby. You look exhausted.”  
“No, Mum, it's fine, really. I can't afford to miss any more school.” I said dully, picking up my bag and walking out the door. This was the first time I had walked to school since the incident, but surprisingly it didn't bother me. I was lost in my own consuming worry and sadness. I was hoping that today would be different, but I didn't have my hopes up. Maybe I would just talk to Louis after school? He was coming over again, and we would be alone, so I would have time to talk it out with him. Maybe he would understand and help me.   
I got to school and looked around as I climbed the steps to the front doors, but I didn't see my friends or my boyfriend. I sighed and walked into school alone, cringing as I made my way through the masses of people standing in the hallways. I opened my locker and started pulling my stuff together, trying to hold myself together. I didn't want to cry over something that probably wasn't worth it. They were probably just busy and forgot to text me or something. I closed my locker door and jumped, seeing Louis standing there. There were bags under his eyes and his hair was standing on end from the amount of times he must have run his fingers through it.   
“Lou...you OK?”   
“Fine, Harry. I just wanted to say good morning. I've been really busy and...”  
“No, don't worry about it. It's fine.” I lied. He looked horrible and stressed out and I didn't want to dump my issues on him. That would be a horrible thing to do. He sighed and smiled a little bit.  
“I've gotta go. See you later.” He said, and without another word, he was off into the crowd. My heart sank. He hadn't even reached out to touch me, or given me a sneaky kiss, or anything like he would normally do. Had I done something wrong? Did he know about my strange feelings about the piano guy? Questions whirled around my head all the way to class, and I don't think I took in a word the teacher said.   
I got out late as usual from my class before lunch and hurried down to the lunch room, starving. I hadn't eaten breakfast and I really needed food right now. I was quite surprised to find Niall, Liam, and Louis already sitting at our usual table. I frowned. They had been absent from it all week...why show up now?  
I took my seat next to in between Louis and Niall, and they didn't even acknowledge me as I sat down, too into their conversations with other members of the team. I fiddled with my fork, waiting for a lull in conversation.   
“Oh, hey Harry.” Liam said, looking over and noticing me for the first time. I nodded to him curtly. Louis still hadn't said anything. Niall patted my shoulder in greeting and then turned away to get something from his bag.   
“So...where have you guys been all week? I've barely seen you.” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. I was mad at them a little for not telling me, but it was their choice and I didn't need to know where they were every single second. They had lives too.   
“We've just been busy, you know, school work and stuff. No big deal.” Louis said, and I gaped at him.   
“But...you could have texted...at least let me know where you were...” I tried to say, but I kept losing my words on the way to speaking them. But none of them were paying attention. I felt the anger boiling up inside me, and I didn't want to explode on them. So I just stood up, leaving my food on the table, and left. I went to the only place I could think to go that would calm me down, and that was the music wing. Maybe the piano player would be there. I was certainly liking him a bit more than my boyfriend at the moment. But when I got there, the hallway was silent, and I just sank to the ground, burying my face in my knees and crying. All of my pent up emotions from the past week were just pouring out and I couldn't do anything to stop them.  
“Harry...you alright, love?” A voice said, and I looked up through blurry eyes, surprised to see Louis standing there, looking nervous. Why had he followed me?  
“M'f-fine.” I managed through my tears. No matter what I did, I couldn't stop thinking about it.   
“You're obviously not fine if you're crying. Please tell me what's wrong, Hazza.” He said, taking a few steps closer. Hearing those words in such a concerned voice made me even more angry, and before I knew it, I was on my feet, wiping my eyes angrily.  
“You really w-want to know what's wrong? Well, how about the fact that I haven't seen my best friends or my boyfriend basically all week? How about the fact that they have been ignoring me at every possible opportunity and acting like its nothing ten minutes later? And on top of that, I think I'm fucking falling for a piano player who doesn't even know that I fucking exist, and I don't know what to do because I have feelings for you and for him? Is that enough for you?” I yelled, and this time, it was actual yelling. It was like my voice had finally come back full force, and I was yelling at my boyfriend. He looked shocked at my outburst, and then his expression turned annoyed.   
“Well, you don't need to know where I am every second of every day. I do have a life, and friends, outside of you, Harry. Did you think about that?” He retorted, and my face burned red.  
“Yeah, I did, which is why I didn't bother you about it all week. I figured you had enough on your mind without me butting in. But the least you could have done was say hi to me, maybe kiss me, maybe even just give me a hug or a wave, but I got nothing!”  
“I've been up to my ass in work, in case you haven't noticed!” He yelled, and that was it. I snapped.  
“Maybe I would know that if you bothered to talk to me. You've been avoiding me all week, and I know you said you'd never break up with me, but that's exactly what it seems that you're doing, and if you want that, then you might as well get to it!” I bellowed. He took another step towards me, his eyes dark and his fists clenched.  
“Well, if that's what you want, then fine. We're done. You can just go fuck Nick, like you've always wanted to.” He retorted, and I shrank back. I had never expected him to say something like that...  
“You...I...fine. Bye, Louis.” I whispered, and without another word I pushed past him and ran down the hallway. I didn't even know where I was going, but I could hear his words ringing in my ears as I went, tears pooling in my eyes. We're done...just go fuck Nick...you've always wanted to...  
I found myself before a janitors' closet, the same one that I had gone to when Nick had outed me two years ago. I crawled inside, already sobbing, the impact of Louis' words finally hitting me. Louis had broken up with me. He had screwed with me and hurt me, just like Nick had. I felt my chest getting tight, and I knew it was happening again. A panic attack, caused by the one person that I actually thought gave a shit about me.


	34. Chapter 34

Louis' POV:

I watched him go, still boiling angry at him. I didn't know where all my anger was coming from, but it was strong and I couldn't think of anything else to say. As soon as Harry was around the corner, however, I came to the realization of what I had done. With that, I swung around and punched a locker. I was numb to the pain and I just kept punching it until my knuckles were bleeding all over the place. I sank to the floor, the pain finally reaching me. But it wasn't the pain in my hand. It was the pain in my chest. I had just lost the only good thing to come into my life since my parents got divorced. I had said horrible things to him. I knew Harry was sensitive, especially about Nick. Why the fuck would I even say that to him? I loved him, more than I had ever loved anyone in the entire world. He had just been concerned with my well-being, and I had torn him apart. I took in short breaths, trying to hold back my tears. I was not going to cry. This was all my fault, and I didn't deserve to cry about it. The bell rang and I could hear doors opening in every hallway. I stood shakily, hiding my hand in my sweatshirt, and headed off to the nurse. I was pretty sure I had broken several bones in my hand, but that was beside the point. It didn't measure up to the pain I felt at losing Harry.

________________

“Hey...shit, Tommo, what happened to your hand?” Niall asked as we did our warm-ups during practice that afternoon. I looked down at my hand, seeing how thick it looked wrapped up in gauze.   
“I...uh, punched a locker?” I said, trying to make it sound like it wasn't a big deal, but I could feel my throat closing up already at the mere thought. Niall and Liam both looked at me strangely but didn't ask any more questions. At least, not until we were in the huddle, and Coach just had to notice that Harry was missing.   
“Hey, where's Styles?”   
Everyone looked around, suddenly realizing that he wasn't there. My mind flashed back to that night, and I shuddered at the thought. Liam placed a hand on my arm to steady me, and Coach's eyes landed on me.  
“Tomlinson...have you seen Styles?”   
“N-not since lunch, Coach.” I mumbled, which was the truth. It was just a very small sliver of the truth. Coach just shrugged and went back to the team, not having the time to worry about one missing player when the Championships were coming up. As the team dispersed to do drills, Niall and Liam pulled me aside.  
“Where's Harry? You didn't tell Coach everything, and we know it.” Niall said, his voice very serious. I gulped. I couldn't say it to them. If I did, it would make it all the more real, and I would not be able to handle myself.   
“I...” I tried to speak, I really did, but I couldn't force myself to say it. Liam looked me dead in the eye.  
“Did you argue?” I nodded once.  
“Was it bad...?” Niall asked, and I nodded again, biting my lip.  
“Did you guys...umm...break up?” Liam asked, and I clamped my lips together, not saying a word. If I did, I would burst into tears and never stop.  
“Fuck...” Niall muttered, running a hand through his hair. Liam's expression went from shocked, to angry, and then to concerned.  
“Harry could not have taken that well...we have to find him.” He said, and Niall nodded. I could feel the sobs building in my throat and I couldn't take it anymore. I had to get away. Without another word I sprinted for the locker room, ignoring the shouts of Liam, Niall, and Coach. Tears were already splashing onto my cheeks as I grabbed my bag and ran for the other side of the school. I didn't have a car today, so I did the only thing I could do, and I ran all the way home.  
I burst through my front door, dumping my bag by the welcome mat and heading for the stairs.  
“Lou, baby, is that you? Are you OK?” My mum called from the kitchen, but I ignored her. I just barely managed to make it to my room and lock the door before I lost it. Sobbing uncontrollably, I sank to the carpet and curled into a ball. My heart felt like it was breaking into a million pieces, and I kept seeing Harry's expression of hurt when my words had hit him. I was a horrible person, I didn't deserve to be here. My breath came in gasps and I couldn't control myself. This panic attack was much worse than the last one.  
There was a knock on my door, and I faintly heard my mum's voice.  
“Lou, are you in there? What's wrong? Please open the door, honey...” I couldn't speak. I couldn't even move. I heard the doorknob rattle and it sounded just like the lockers had when I had punched them earlier. My hand started to throb in addition to the aching pain in my chest and my head.  
The door was suddenly thrown open and I could hear my mum's gasp as she saw me. I thought I saw people behind her, but I just shrank away, wanting to be left alone to die.  
“Girls...just stay back...Louis is going to be fine...Lottie, take the girls to their room, please.” My mum said before coming into the room and kneeling down on the floor. She pulled me into her arms and cradled me, rocking me back and forth as I sobbed into her shoulder.  
“Louis...sweetheart, you're OK. I'm right here. I need you to breathe for me, baby, come on.” She soothed, running her hand through my hair. My breathing hitched as I tried to stop crying, but the pain just came back double and I couldn't stop. I wondered if this is what Harry felt like when he was having an asthma attack, because right now I didn't feel like I had lungs at all.  
“Lou, you're gonna scare your sisters. I am right here with you, you can do this. Come on, now, deep breaths. That's it...” She coached, still rocking me back and forth, like a mum would do to her little baby to make it fall asleep. Very slowly, I began to calm down, but that did nothing for the pain. Eventually, I was just a whimpering mess in my mother's arms.   
“Louis, what happened?” She asked carefully, holding me out a little so that I could look her in the eye.  
“I...he...” I attempted, but I could not say it. Her expression turned dark, almost scary.  
“What did he do to you?” She asked in a deadly whisper, and I shrank away from her.   
“N-no...my fault...all my fault...” I stuttered, tears welling in my eyes again. It was my fault. I had pushed him away, and now he was gone. She sighed in sadness and pulled me to her chest again, letting me cry it out. I knew she would wait here until I was ready to talk about it, and that's what I loved about my mother. She was always there for me, always willing to stand up for me and help me through tough times.   
“I...it just...happened...and I've been so stressed...and I just snapped...and he's gone.” I said, my sentences completely broken up. I gulped and wiped away my tears with the backs of my hands. My mum sat up against the bed and watched me carefully, her expression curious and worried.  
“I've been really busy this week with the boys, trying to do something for mine and Harry's first month together...” my voice cracked on Harry's name, but I forced myself to continue. “We couldn't tell him about it, so I guess we kinda got distant with him, me and the lads. And he asked about it and we were just trying to be vague, but he took it personally. I tried to go after him and he...he was crying and he said stuff about us not telling him where we were, and I tried to tell him I was busy, but he got mad, and then I just...I snapped. All the pressure from the surprise and being up late doing homework and it just all hit me at once and I...I yelled at him, said some p-pretty horrible things...and he's gone...I've lost my Hazza...” I barely made it to the last word before starting to cry again. I wrapped my arms around myself, not wanting help, but I felt my mum's comforting arms and I let her hug me. It felt good to be in the arms of someone that loved me...but it just wasn't the same as Harry hugging me.   
“How about I go make you some tea, yeah? Help you relax, right?” My mum said in a soft voice, and I nodded, wiping my eyes again. I sniffled and she helped me to my feet, making me sit on the bed before exiting the room. I caught sight of myself in the mirror and grimaced. My eyes were swollen and bloodshot, but the rest of my face was pasty pale. No wonder Harry hated to see me upset...Harry...  
“Lou!” said two little voices from the door, and Daisy and Phoebe walked carefully over to the edge of the bed, looking at me with frightened expressions.   
“Are you OK, Lou?” Phoebe asked, reaching for my hand.  
“Yeah, Phoebs, I'm alright.” I answered. I obviously couldn't tell them the truth, so I just pretended. I was a pretty good actor, if truth be told.   
“Is it Harry? Is that why you were crying? Did he get hurt again?” Daisy asked, and I bit the inside of my cheek.  
“Harry is...yeah, he's still a little sick, love,” I answered thickly. She looked sad, but then brightened up.  
“Well, when you see him, tell him that I love him again, please, Louis!” She said, excitement in her voice. I gave her a small smile.  
“I won't forget, I promise. Run along now, finish your homework.” I said in the best big brother voice I could manage, and they hugged me before running towards the door, where Lottie was waiting for them. She gave me a sad look before closing the door behind her. I collapsed back onto my bed and held my pillow tightly, hot tears rolling down my cheeks. Why had I even opened my mouth? I had hurt Harry, and I was never going to get him back. I heard the door open and the sound of a mug being set down on my desk. Then I felt my mum kiss me gently on the forehead before leaving me. I didn't even get up to get the tea. I just stayed in my bed and cried. 

 

Harry POV:

It was just like last time, only worse.  
No one came by the closet all day. Even though I could hear students passing it in the hall, apparently they couldn't hear me sobbing inside. Every time I got through one panic attack, another one hit me, each one stronger than the one before. There was nothing I could do to stop it. The only person that had ever managed to get me to calm down was Louis...but Louis hated me. I couldn't have him any more. I brought my inhaler to my lips for about the fourth time, and at this point I was shaking so badly that I was barely able to hold it up. Everything always had to go wrong for me.   
I don't know how long I was in the closet. I might have even passed out at one point, I didn't know anymore. All I knew was that suddenly, the door to the closet opened and light came streaming in, burning my bloodshot eyes. Was I dying? I had to be dying, or already dead. Why else would everything hurt so bad?  
“Oh, fucking shit...LIAM!!!! Li, I found him.” Wow...that sounded like Niall...did Niall die as well?   
I felt two sets of strong arms around me as I was hauled out of the closet, covered in dust and still gripping my inhaler.  
“Fuck, Haz, how long have you been in there?” Liam asked, and I could see his face looming above me.   
“Am I dead?” I asked stupidly, and Liam looked concerned. Niall's face appeared above me as well.  
“No, Harry, why would you think that?” Niall asked, his voice full of fear and worry.  
“Because it...it h-hurts...it hurts s-so much...” I whispered, and tears rapidly filled my eyes and spilled onto my cheeks. My chest clenched painfully and I gasped at the pain.  
“Come on, Li, we have to get him home...if he has another one, he will need his mum. Neither of us can do it...” I heard Niall say quietly to Liam. I felt them grab me under the arms and pull me to my feet, but I couldn't stand. I just wanted to curl into a ball and make the pain go away. I tried to do exactly that, but they held me up. They were stronger than they looked.  
“No, Haz, come on. We are taking you home.” Liam said, keeping his voice even, but I could hear the pain in it. He was pitying me. I hated it. Niall was already on the phone with my mum. I didn't want to see her, and yet I needed her at the same time. The tears didn't stop, they just kept coming, rolling down my cheeks and down my neck, soaking into the collar of my shirt.  
Niall and Liam aided me into walking outside, where my mum was already parked and waiting. They helped me into the back seat and then sat on either side of me, just holding me. My mum didn't ask any questions, but just drove, taking me home.  
When we got to the house, I didn't even bother trying to walk up the drive way. I had to basically be carried. I couldn't deal with the pain. I had never felt like this, not when Nick had outed me, not even when the incident had happened. This was a pain that wasn't going to leave me.  
“Boys, get him upstairs. I'll be up in a few minutes.” My mom's voice sounded quite commanding, and Niall and Liam didn't hesitate to grab me under the arms and drag me up the stairs. They got me to my bed, and I immediately collapsed into a ball, shivering and crying my eyes out. Neither of them knew what to do, so they just stood huddled together by the end of the bed. At least, that's what it sounded like, because I couldn't see anything through my blurry vision.  
“Alright, boys, downstairs. I'll fill you in later. He needs to be alone for a bit.” I heard my mum say, and the comforting presence of friends left me. That only made me cry harder. They had been busy all week and now they were leaving me again.  
I felt someone sit down on the bed next to me and then a hand was raking through my messy curls.  
“Baby, it's OK. You're here with me. Just...tell me what happened...” My mum encouraged, and I choked on my sobs, trying to get some coherent words out.  
“Louis...he...there was yelling...now he...miss him so m-much...” I managed before completely breaking down. My whole body shook with sobs and my throat felt raw and dry, but I couldn't stop. I was having another one, and Louis wasn't here to help me through it. I felt strong arms wrap around me and I could smell my mum's shampoo as she cradled me in her arms.  
“Harry, honey, you're going to be OK. Just breathe for me, please, that's it. You're doing good, baby, keep going.” She said softly, taking me through it like she had two years ago when I had come home from school just like this. But this time, the pain was different. It wasn't the pain of embarrassment, it was the pain of rejection. The pain of loss. The pain of missing someone that you loved, that obviously didn't love you back. But, with my mum's help, I managed to stop crying completely, and she actually got me to sit up. She made me drink some water and she wiped my eyes with her sleeve, pampering me like she used to do when I was five, right after my dad left. I would normally scoff and shove her off, but right now, I needed her love.  
“He b-broke up with me...in th-the hallway at s-school...hid in the c-closet...p-panic attacks...so many...” I gasped out, trying to help her understand. I needed her to understand. She nodded, rubbing my back gently to keep me calm.   
“M'gonna make some tea, yeah? You just rest up.” My mum said, and she headed downstairs quickly. I leaned my head back against the headboard, closing my eyes so that I wouldn't cry any more. I could hear Niall and Liam talking to my mum downstairs, and then moments later, the front door slammed.   
My mum came up with two cups of tea and sat there with me, drinking it. We didn't speak. I didn't trust myself to. I had broken down enough today without adding to it. She picked up both of our cups an hour later, kissing my temple before leaving me alone to my own thoughts. My mind kept going back to my feelings for Louis and my feelings for the piano player. I had tried to be honest with Louis, but he seemed to have missed that bit while we were yelling at each other. A few tears rolled down my cheeks and I wiped them away angrily. Maybe this was how it was supposed to go. Maybe I just wasn't meant to have anyone love me. With that lovely thought at the forefront of my mind, I fell asleep from sheer exhaustion, tears still lingering on my cheeks.


	35. Chapter 35

Louis' POV:

I didn't leave my room all weekend. I didn't eat, I didn't drink, I didn't get a shower, I didn't do much of anything. Every time I tried to get up and be productive, my heart would hurt and I would just sink back down onto my bed, into a chair, or onto the floor, whichever was most convenient, and cry. I missed him so much, but I wasn't going to get him back, not after what I said.  
Several times, my mum came in and offered me food or drink, but I just shook my head no. My sisters tried to cheer me up with drawings and stories about school, but nothing could fix the giant hole in my chest.   
My mum did make me go to the doctor for my hand. Turns out that punching lockers actually does break bones. I had two broken fingers and a sprained wrist. The doctor put a cast on it, saying it would have to be on for at least the next few weeks, but luckily it didn't stop me from playing footie. If it had, I would have just given up entirely. Footie was all I had left now.  
Monday rolled around and my mum had to force me out of bed. I'm not kidding, she physically dragged me out of bed and threw clothes at me, pushing me towards the shower. I let her do it, because I was too weak to protest. I had cried so much that weekend that my eyes were permanently swollen and red, and my throat burned when I swallowed or took a breath. I was a mess, and I only had myself to blame.  
I didn't bother taking the car, even though my mom offered it to me. I just waved goodbye to the girls and left, walking the whole way. I knew I looked like shit. I hadn't bothered to do anything with my hair, and I was wearing ripped jeans and a black shirt. I just really didn't feel like trying. I got to school and immediately saw Liam and Niall walking in with Harry. My heart pounded uncomfortably, and then I caught sight of Harry's face as he turned slightly. He looked as bad as I felt, with bloodshot swollen eyes. They weren't even sparkling like they usually did. They looked dead and empty behind the dark frames of his glasses. His curls were disheveled and all over his face, which I may have found cute, but I knew it was because he hadn't bothered to fix it. He was trying to hide. His clothes looked wrinkled and he was wearing a baggy sweatshirt.  
Niall turned and caught my eye, and nudged Liam. I put my head down and hurried into school. I didn't need them attacking me for hurting Harry, which was exactly what they probably were going to do. I hurried to my locker, hoping that they wouldn't be able to catch up with me. I grabbed my stuff and ran for the music wing, but of course I had to run right into someone coming the other way. And that someone just had to be Harry.   
I stumbled back, clutching my things to my chest. Harry wasn't moving. He was just frozen in the middle of the hallway, staring at me. I saw tears building in his eyes, and I felt my own throat closing up. I just put my head down and ran, letting a few tears roll down my face. I had seen the pain in his eyes. He hated me. And I fucking deserved it.   
I yanked the door to the music room open and hurried inside, wiping my eyes quickly so that none of my classmates or the teacher would notice. I took a seat in the back and pulled out my song. Maybe with all the pain I was in, I could write really good lyrics. I pulled out my notebook and a pencil and began to write, and I didn't stop until the bell rang.

________________

I managed to make it through all of the rest of my morning classes without too much of an issue. I didn't see him in the hallway like I normally do, and that worried me, but he was probably taking extra measures to avoid me, and I understood that.   
I didn't bother going to lunch. I wasn't hungry anyway. OK, that was a lie, I was starving. I hadn't eaten more than a granola bar from the vending machine and a few crackers for the past three days, but I didn't want to risk seeing Harry down there. I was in enough pain as it was. I went straight to the choral room, taking out my new song. I sat down at the piano, tucking a pencil behind my ear and pulling out blank score paper from my stash in the bench. Hopefully writing music would take my mind off of everything.  
I started messing around with some chords, wincing as I tried to play with the splints on my fingers, but as soon as I added the lyrics to the completed chorus, I lost it. I stopped playing, biting down on my lip to keep the tears at bay. I missed him so much.   
The door opened and I sniffed quickly, trying to look normal. Niall and Liam entered, looking worn out. They closed the door and came walking towards me, and I could have sworn they looked about ready to kill me.  
“P-please don't. Just don't. I know I fucked up, OK? I was stressed out of my mind and I was tired and I just snapped and now I've lost the only good thing that ever happened to me, and I promised him and you that I would never hurt him and I went ahead and did it anyway, but it was a mistake and I miss him and I'm just s-sorry.” I said, my voice rising with every word until it finally cracked. My breathing was hitched as both of them looked down on me. I stood up slowly and began to back away, but suddenly I was being crushed as both of them hugged me fiercely. I don't know if I actually registered exactly what was happening, but my emotions didn't want to be held back anymore, and I started sobbing like a baby into their shoulders. Both of them rubbed my back and held me as I cried.  
“It's OK, Lou, let it out...” Liam muttered, keeping a good hold on me, since my legs were shaking and I wanted to collapse yet again.  
“It's all m-my fucking fault...” I sobbed, trying to regain control of myself. This wasn't like me. I wasn't supposed to show emotions in front of my friends. But I couldn't help it. On the bright side, they weren't exactly acting mad, so maybe they were here to help me.   
I finally let them both go and sat back down on the piano bench. They had pulled up chairs and were sitting before me, just watching me.  
“Just...tell us what happened.” Niall said, and Liam added, “He...umm, well, we didn't get much of the story from him...he couldn't tell us. Please, we just want to understand what happened.”  
I swallowed hard. Having to tell this story again was not exactly what I had in mind. But if I had any chance at all of fixing this, I had to tell them.  
“When he left...I just wanted to make sure he was alright. So I followed...and he was crying his eyes out on the floor. And I asked him what was wrong, and he gave me a whole list of stuff, basically boiling down to us ignoring him. But we were doing it because of that surprise and I couldn't just tell him. So I tried to play it off, and all the stress and the exhaustion was just building, and then we just started yelling at each other, and he said it felt like we were breaking up, and I told him that if that's what he wanted, then fine...I may have said some other things that I do not want to repeat...And he left.” I could feel my heart aching at the memories, and Liam and Niall just looked at me sadly.  
“Does that have anything to do with that?” Liam asked, pointing at my hand.  
“I realized what I had done...and I just...punched a locker...multiple times, until I could feel the pain. Broke two fingers and sprained my wrist.” I explained, trying to keep my voice even.   
“Are you sure he didn't say anything else?” Niall inquired, looking thoughtful.  
“Yeah...just something as small as that, even with Harry being sensitive to things.”  
I thought back to before we had started yelling, trying to recall his exact words.   
“Umm... I know he said something about us not seeing us all week...how we had been basically ignoring him...and there was something else...” I thought really hard, trying to picture the scene in my head. And then Harry's words, which I had not even really heard when they had been said, came back to me...  
“And on top of that, I think I'm fucking falling for a piano player who doesn't even know that I fucking exist, and I don't know what to do because I have feelings for you and for him? Is that enough for you?”  
What the hell? He had been talking about some piano player...and falling for them? But as far as I knew, the only person to be in that room playing the piano at all that week had been...  
“Fuck. Oh shit. Holy fucking hell...” I groaned, burying my face in my hands. Now it made sense. It all made sense. God, I was such a fucking idiot. This really was all my fault.   
“What?” Niall and Liam both asked, and I looked up at them, my eyes burning with tears again.  
“It's me. It's been me the whole fucking time...” I whispered, finally letting the realization sink in fully.  
“What's you? Lou, you're scaring me, talk to us.” Niall said, putting a hand on my arm. I sighed, still not completely believing how stupid I had been.  
“He mentioned falling for someone else. A piano player, whom he didn't know the identity of. He has been hearing him play for about a month now, and he felt like he couldn't be falling for two people at once.” I said in a defeated voice. Both of them looked extremely confused.  
“But...that makes sense. If Harry felt like he was falling for someone else as well as you, he would have told you right away, so that he could have help figuring out what he was feeling. That's the kind of person he is. But what does that have to do with you?” Liam said, throwing his hands up.  
“Don't you get it? I'm the piano player. I'm the 'other one' that Harry is falling for. That first day I came to practice, we got out early. I went straight to the music wing to try out my new song.”  
“And we found Harry coming out of the music wing that day...holy shit. But that could just be a coincidence...his locker is right near hear and anyone is allowed down here to practice.” Liam said reasonably, but I shook my head.  
“Every time he's mentioned him to me, I've always been 'coincidentally' practicing at the same time. I remember having a conversation about it with him, how he said he was falling for the person, and then I played something for him. I didn't want him or anyone to find out, and I had to make sure that he wasn't hearing me. But when I played a bit of the piece I had been practicing, he knew it perfectly, and he said that was exactly what he had heard. I diverted him from the thought immediately, and I completely forgot about it. But now...it makes sense!”  
“And we've been practicing in here all week...he must have heard us a couple times.” Niall muttered, the truth dawning on him.  
“So...what you're saying is...Harry fell for you twice, once as you, and once as the piano player? And he has no idea?” Liam asked, trying to understand, and I nodded.  
“God, I'm such a fucking idiot. How did I not see this? And I...I told him to go fuck Nick.” I looked at the floor, my eyes welling with even more tears as I remembered the look on his face.   
“You said WHAT?” Niall's eyes went wide and Liam's mouth dropped open. I nodded again, brushing the tears off my cheeks.  
“Well, fuck, no wonder we found him where he was.” Liam mumbled under his breath.  
“W-wait...what?” I asked, my voice trembling a little bit.  
“We found Harry in the janitors' closet, the same one he hid in two years ago when Nick outed him. He was covered in dust and could barely stand for the amount of pain he must have been feeling. Louis, how could you say that to him?”  
“I don't know, I don't fucking know, OK? I was angry and it just came out...he hates me, doesn't he?” I said huskily.  
“I wouldn't blame him if he did...but no, he doesn't hate you, trust me.” Niall assured me.  
“Quite the opposite, actually. I don't think I've ever seen him in that much pain...not ever.” Liam said, and I knew that, even in trying to make me feel better, they were pissed at me for hurting their best friend.   
“I...I'm so sorry for what I did. I just...I want him back, but I know that I won't get him. Not the way I treated him. He deserves better than a fucked up piece of shit boyfriend like me.”  
“That's just it, though. He doesn't want anyone else. He wants you.” Niall sighed, sounding quite sincere.  
“Look...we...we will help you get him back, yeah?” Liam said kindly, gripping my shoulder. I looked at both of them incredulously, not daring to believe what I had just heard.   
“You...you're serious? After what I said to him, you'd help me? You're not mad?”  
“Oh, trust me, we are pissed off as fuck. But we want him happy. That's all that matters to us. And you make him happy. So we will help you.” Niall said smugly, smiling a little.  
“I will have you know that if you ever pull something like this again, I will not hesitate to throw you out a window...” Liam growled, but the look in his eyes was kind. They really wanted to help me. I pulled them both in, hugging them around the necks until they choked out that they couldn't breathe, and I let go, blushing with embarrassment.  
“But...how? How exactly do I get him back?” I asked, and it seemed like a reasonable question, but they both looked at me like I was an idiot.   
“How do you think, dumbass? With music!” Niall laughed, but I was still confused.  
“How the hell is music supposed to win him back?” I said, and now Liam was laughing.  
“Well, for starters, we can use that new song you were just singing. It's the perfect song to express how you feel without him by your side.” Liam said. How long had they been out there listening to me? Shit.   
“And then, after you sing it, we can do the song we all worked on. And you can play, therefore showing him that he's not in love with two people, but rather two aspects of the same person.” Niall added. I slowly nodded, mulling this over in my head. My broken fingers might be an issue, but I could work around that. This might just work...but we would have to work fast.  
“Guys, if we are gonna do this...we have to work fast...We have the National Championships coming up next week...and we need to be at our best.” I said, looking at them in all seriousness.  
“Well, then, we had better get started.” Liam said, and they both crowded around the piano, pencils in hand. 

 

Harry POV:

I wanted to go home. Everything here reminded me of Louis. I guess it would have been better, but I had run right into him this morning, when I had planned on avoiding him all day. He had looked horrible. His face had been blotchy and his eyes were red, like he had been crying. His hand was all bandaged up and he just looked a real mess. I had tried to say something to him, but all I could register was the pain in my chest as his blue eyes looked up at me. And then he had run off, and left me standing there trying to control myself.   
Niall and Liam had met me at my locker a few minutes later, and insisted on walking me to every class. I was quite glad for their company, because they kept my mind off of the aching pain in my whole body. I didn't speak a single word. I hadn't spoken all weekend, not since I had talked to my mum about Friday. Talking wouldn't have gone well anyway, because my throat felt raw from all the sobbing. I just couldn't believe that Louis of all people would've made that kind of a blow to me. I knew I was a sensitive little shit, but I could handle a lot more than they gave me credit for. Until you mentioned Nick to me. That was what hurt me the most. Not that he broke up with me, although that did hurt a lot as well. No, it was Louis, the person I loved, telling me to go fuck the guy who had done exactly that to me against my will.  
Niall and Liam were absent from lunch, so I just ate quietly, listening to the footie conversation and nibbling at my lunch. I had barely eaten anything all weekend, other than the stuff my mum had forced on me. My sister would have forced me to eat as well, but her arrival had been pushed back a week. She should be at home today when I got home, actually, and that gave me a little bit of happiness, and I ate a bit more food, realizing how hungry I really was.

________________

The end of the day came, and it was time for practice. The one thing I had been dreading all day, because that meant that I had to see Louis, whether I liked it or not. I hurried to the locker room, hoping to get there early, but when I got there the entire team was there, including Louis, Liam, and Niall. I froze and the three of the looked up at me. Louis' eyes were full of pain, quite similar to the pain that I was feeling. But I didn't have time to deal with this. I had to focus, keep myself away from him. It was the only way to get over him. So I turned away from the corner and put my bag next to Josh's, getting changed with some of the other guys.  
I was first on the field and first done with all the warm-ups. Coach kept looking at me warningly, telling me to slow down, but I didn't want to. The more things I did, the less pain I felt, or at least that's what I kept telling myself.   
“Alright team, huddle up. It's just gonna be a few drills with your like positions today, so go ahead and split up. I'll come around to each group and assign you a drill.” Coach said, and my heart clenched. This meant that I had to be in a group with Louis. Without Niall or Liam, who would be in both of the other groups respectively. I swallowed hard and followed Josh over to one side of the field. The alternates joined, and Louis came over last. He kept his head down and didn't look at me once. I tried to keep my eyes off of him, but I couldn't, and every time I looked at him, my heart just broke that much more. Was it possible to miss someone, even if they were standing right in front of you?  
Coach came over and grinned at us.  
“OK, lads, partner up, we are doing two person drills today. Tomlinson, I want you with Styles. We need to have the talent equally matched.” I bit my lip and looked down at my cleats. Louis didn't say a word against Coach and grabbed a football, kicking it away and following it at a slow pace. Coach gave me a weird look, but I just walked away, following Louis. Neither of us spoke or so much as looked at each other as we started the drill. I knew that if we made eye contact I would lose it on the field, and the team didn't need to see that.   
I was so distracted during the drill that I missed the ball several times and had to go sprinting after it. Louis didn't say anything to me, but he did look at me a few times. I wasn't about to get my hopes up, however. I'd been hurt too many times to have hope.  
About 20 minutes into practice, Coach blew his whistle.  
“OK, lads, that's it for today. Go home and rest up.” I sighed and jogged to the locker room, determined to get out of there as quickly as possible. I just wanted to go home. I didn't bother changing, I just grabbed my bag and threw it over my shoulder. I reached the door, but I couldn't stop myself from looking back. Louis was watching me leave, and I could have sworn there were tears on his cheeks. I tore my eyes away from him and ran before I started crying all over again.  
He doesn't deserve you, Styles...you deserve better...  
But I don't want better...I want Louis. Louis is perfect...  
Back and forth it went all the way home, and by the time I opened the door, I was crying yet again. My mum came out of the kitchen and gasped, pulling me into her arms and closing the door behind me.  
“Harbear, baby, what's wrong?”  
“I w-want him back, Mum...I m-miss him so much...” I sobbed into her shoulder, and she rubbed my back, whispering comforting words in my ear until I finally calmed down.   
“I know it hurts now, love. But maybe it's for the best. Just...give it a few days and you'll feel better, I promise. Here, let's get you some food. Gemma's going to be here soon, by the way.” My mum said, leading me into the kitchen. I sat down at the kitchen table, wiping my eyes. That was the first time I had said anything since Friday, and my throat really hurt. Maybe I was getting sick?  
My mum placed a glass of orange juice and a sandwich in front of me, ham and cheese. My mind immediately recalled back to that day when Louis had eaten slowly with me, trying to help me through my lack of appetite, and I almost started crying again. But I forced myself to remain calm and took a bite of the sandwich. And then I started crying. I kept eating through my tears, and my mum just watched me sadly, not knowing what to do to comfort me.   
I finished my food and wiped my eyes, heading for the stairs. I knew that Gemma would be here soon and I wanted to look decent when she showed up. She didn't need to spend her visit dealing with her emotional younger brother. I went to my room and tore off my footie gear, pulling on sweats and a long sleeved shirt. Just as I was trying to make my hair cooperate, there was a knock at the door. I gave up and hurried into the hallway as my mum opened the door. Excited greetings were exchanged and I made my way down the stairs. There stood my sister Gemma, and tears were already gathering in my eyes. But this time, they weren't tears of pain, they were happy ones.  
“Harry!” Gemma cried, and I ran to give her a hug. It had been a bit since I had seen her, and I had grown so much that I could sit my head comfortably on top of hers. It felt so good to see her again that it made me forget about the pain for a minute and enjoy the moment of being able to hug my sister.  
“Wow, you've grown, love! Like a beanpole, you are,” Gemma said with a laugh, and I smiled a little. I didn't want her to think that I wasn't happy to see her. So I just pretended, keeping quiet and nodding or shaking my head in answer to her many questions. She seemed slightly confused as to why I wasn't talking, because I was always talkative around her, but she didn't ask any questions.  
“Well, Harry, don't you have homework to do?” My mum said loudly, giving me a look. I silently thanked her for getting me away, and I waved to Gemma before going up the stairs as quickly as I could so that it still seemed normal. I closed my bedroom door slowly and sank into my desk chair, my head throbbing. All I wanted to do was forget, but every damn thing reminded me of Louis. Everything. I chewed on my bottom lip and tried to think of happy things. It didn't work. All of the happiest memories I'd had included Louis. With a sigh, I crawled into bed. I knew it was early, but I needed to escape. I just hoped that sleeping would help.

________________

I woke up in the early hours of the morning, my chest tight and tears soaking my pillow. I'd had another dream. But this time, it was about Louis. No matter what I did, I couldn't stop sobbing. I tried to keep it quiet, considering Gemma was in the next room, but I didn't really control the volume of my pain.  
There was a sudden knock on the door and Gemma walked in, running a hand through her hair and looking at me through half open eyes.  
“Harry, you OK? I heard crying...what's wrong?” She came in all the way and sat down on the edge of my bed. I sat up and curled into her hug, sniffling and trying to stop crying.  
“N-nothing...Gems...g-go back to s-sleep,” I stuttered, hiccuping halfway through the sentence. She only tightened her hold on me.   
“I know when my brother is hurting. Sibling telepathy and all that. You want to talk about it?” She asked, keeping her voice cool and collected as she ran a hand through my hair. The last time this had happened, I had been five and my father had just left. She had been my source of comfort back then, but we had grown distant since. Up until now.  
In choked sobs, I told her everything. All about meeting Louis and falling for him. About Nick and what he had done to me. About Niall and Liam getting together, and about Louis and I being together before breaking up over something completely stupid that I didn't even understand. And about the piano player. A lot about him, because he had caused all of this shit in the first place, making me feel things for him when I loved Louis. She listened to me very attentively and didn't interrupt once, even when I had to stop to regain enough control to speak.   
“I...I don't know what to say, Haz. That's...a whole fucking lot of stuff. I'm really sorry...about all of it. But to me, it sounds like you really love Louis. Even after what he said, it seems like you don't think he meant it. If he cared enough about you to save you all those times, he never would have said something like that to you unless he was just really stressed out.”  
“I...I know. Which is w-why I want to f-forgive him. B-but I can barely s-speak to you, let alone t-trying to talk to him. I j-just want my Lou back,” I said, dissolving once more into tears on my sister's shoulder. I was such a pathetic loser, crying so much over a boy. But Gemma didn't care, and she held me there for what seemed like forever.  
“Hey, Haz, it's OK. I'm sure he will come back to you. You're too cute to pass up.” I gave a watery chuckle.  
“T-thanks, Gems.”   
“I'll stay in here with you tonight, how does that sound?” She stated, and I nodded, brushing my curls out of my eyes. I burrowed under my covers and she crawled in next to me.   
“Wow, this takes me back,” she commented. “Make sure not to hog all the covers, or I'll kick you off the bed and make you sleep on the floor.  
“D-deal.” I mumbled, and I closed my eyes, praying that Gemma was right in what she had said about Louis.


	36. Chapter 36

Louis' POV:

The week was horrible. Not only could I not sleep because I kept thinking about Harry all the time, but I was losing my voice. All of that crying had finally caught up with my throat, and I was not appreciating it, considering I was supposed to sing to Harry for this plan. I also kept getting distracted in footie, because I would try to pass to Harry and he wouldn't look at me, and I'd be too busy trying to get him to notice that I'd lose the ball. Coach was not happy, even if he did know (now that I had told him) what was going on. And on top of all that, the doctor insisted that I wear my hand in a sling when I played so it would stay close to my body and not jolt around.   
I had been practicing with Niall and Liam every single day before school. We did it before school because Niall and Liam didn't want Harry to catch on to what they were helping me with. So they ate lunch with him and walked him home after practice every day. I just stayed out of the way. The few times he even so much as looked at me, he just looked horribly depressed. I noticed that his skin was extremely pale and he looked like he hadn't gotten any sleep, or eaten much for that matter. And all I felt was horrible guilt.  
“One more day and you'll have him back,” Liam said confidently as we were packing up our stuff on Thursday morning.  
“Liam, you can't know that. I'm not even sure if this is going to work. Has he said anything to you?” I asked, trying not to sound like I was too interested. Liam bit his lip.  
“Umm, no actually. He hasn't spoken a word to either of us. He apparently talks to his mom, and his sister, but he won't talk to us. I think he's afraid that if he talks to us we will bring you up, and I don't think he can deal with that yet.”   
I hung my head, shoving papers in my bag. Niall came over and patted my shoulder comfortingly.  
“Look, I know you're feeling guilty. And you should be, because you really fucked up. But this is going to work. I promise.”  
I just nodded and hurried for the door.   
“Don't forget to go over to his house today and get permission from his mum. We will keep him busy.” Liam called after me, and my heart clenched at the mere thought. In order to make this plan work, it had to be at Harry's house, because there he would feel safe enough to react appropriately, and he wouldn't think that I was doing to get attention, which would most likely be the case if I did it in school. Then again, Anne might drag me into the house and murder me, but that was beside the point.  
I hurried to my locker and shoved all of that music stuff away, pulling out more music stuff, and then I sprinted for the music room again. I had to get there before Harry got to his locker, or there would be a problem. I spotted Harry's curly head coming down the hallway, and I dove into a crowd, pushing my way through until I was safely inside the classroom. I couldn't look him in the face without wanting to hurt myself even more than I already had. And I was supposed to go through with this plan? I wouldn't make it through the first song without crying. But...I wanted him back more than I wanted to hide my emotions, and with that, I sat down to put the final touches on my project. 

________________

Thursday afternoon came too quickly for my liking. It was after practice and I was getting changed into my clothes. I normally just stayed in my footie gear, but I wanted to look nice. I had to figure out a way to impress Anne and convince her to let us do this for Harry. I shot a glance over at Niall and Liam, and they both nodded, telling me it was all clear to go. Harry's back was to me, so with a small gulp and a wave, I was off. I started off quickly, just cruising along the street, but as soon as I reached the end of Harry's street, I started to slow down. My heart was beating really fast and I was sweating. I don't think I had ever been this nervous in my life.  
When I finally reached the door, my hands were shaking and my heart was pounding in my throat. I raised my hand shakily and knocked three times.  
It seemed like I waited forever, when it was probably about five seconds, and the door swung open. A girl in her twenties stood before me, and I recognized her at once from Harry's pictures. This must have been Gemma. Harry had mentioned that she was coming. God, I really needed to stop thinking about Harry so much...  
“Umm, hi...” I mumbled, and she gave me a confused look.  
“Hi to you as well. If I may ask...who are you?” She asked, and my heart stopped. Surely Harry wouldn't have told her about me, right?  
“I...I'm Louis. Louis Tomlinson.” I replied, and I watched her face turn from polite curiosity to outright rage.   
“What the hell do you think you're doing here?” She growled, and I took an involuntary step back. She was scary as fuck.  
“I need to talk to A-Mrs. Cox. Please, it's important.”  
“And why exactly should I even let you in the house, after what you did?”  
“Gemma, who are you arguing...oh. It's you.” Anne came walking around the corner and stopped just short of the doorway, her face set and her eyes steely, boring into mine. I cleared my throat, but it did nothing but irritate it, and I coughed a little bit.  
“A-Mrs. Cox...I really need to speak with you. I know that I fucked up big time and you probably hate me, and I don't blame you. But this is important, and I want no more than ten minutes of your time to explain, please.” I said in a huge rush. Gemma looked ready to slam the door in my face, but Anne looked thoughtful.  
“Alright. You have ten minutes exactly to come up with a good explanation as to why you broke my son's heart, and how you intend to fix it, and that is all. After that, if this isn't good, I'm kicking you out and I never want to see you again.” She said harshly, and I swallowed hard, nodding.  
“Yes, ma'am.”  
Gemma opened the door reluctantly and glared at me as I walked over the threshold. The faint scent of strawberries in the air hit me right in the heart, and I realized how much of my emotions I had truly been pushing away during this past week. I really, really missed Harry.   
I followed Anne to the dining room and sat down reluctantly. She and Gemma sat on the other side, staring at me as though waiting for some amazing explanation to come out of my mouth. I felt like I was being interrogated. But I couldn't let them get to me, not if I wanted to get Harry back.  
“OK, so...umm, I'm assuming he told you what happened?” I asked timidly, and they both grimaced.  
“Right...that's a yes. And whatever he told you is the truth. I did yell at him, I did break up with him, and I did say nasty things that shouldn't have been said, especially to him. I know that I'm fucked up and that I was complete shit to him, and I'm sorry.”  
“Sorry isn't going to cut it...” Gemma huffed, and Anne put a hand on her arm to quiet her. She was actually paying attention and listening to me, which I had not expected. This encouraged me, but only slightly.   
“I know that, but it's really all I can say. I didn't mean any of what I said to him that day. I was under a lot of stress, and I was hiding something from him, I will admit, but it isn't what you think. And all of that pent up emotion just...got away from me. I love your son.” I directed this last part at Anne, and her gaze softened just a little bit. I swallowed and continued. “I love him more than I've loved anyone, and I regret saying what I did. I know that he probably won't ever forgive me, and I don't blame him, but I have to at least try to get him back. He was the only good thing I had left, other than my family and footie. I need him.”   
My eyes were getting wet speaking about how I felt about Harry, and I didn't even try to stop them. My voice felt like it would give any second, but I kept talking. I had to.  
“I know that you're probably wondering what I kept from him. I was going to surprise him, with Niall and Liam, with a song that I wrote to celebrate one month of being together. I hadn't finished the piano part yet and I had to put it together with the other lads. I was busy all week with that, and I didn't want to ruin the surprise.”  
“Wait...hold on...you play piano?” Gemma asked, looking slightly confused now, instead of angry. I nodded and her eyebrows knit together, just like Harry's. I tried to ignore this fact.  
“But...Harry told me about a piano player that he thought he might like...wait a minute...” She seemed like she was putting two and two together, but Anne still looked absolutely lost, so I jumped in.  
“Yeah, I'm that piano player. He doesn't know that. And I didn't think to tell him until it was too late. That's why I want to go through with this plan of mine, if you'll hear me out.”  
Gemma and Anne both looked thunderstruck, as though they didn't quite believe me, but they wanted to for Harry's sake. Anne pursed her lips and then turned to me.  
“All we want is for Harry to be happy. He was happy with you, and I think that's what matters. So go on.”  
A small smile lit up my face. This might just work. I leaned in and began to explain my plan. After I had laid out all the details about my part in the plan, I turned to Gemma.  
“I need you to get him out of the house. Liam and Niall will walk him home and hide, and as soon as you get him out of the house, you can text me.” I handed her a little sheet with my number on it. “Then we will set up and I'll text you when we are ready. Could you help me out on this, please?” Gemma hesitated, looking at Anne for help, and Anne nodded, finally smiling at me.  
“And Mrs. Cox...I'll just need you to act normal, like nothing is wrong.”  
“Of course, Louis.” She nodded, and then we all stood up. Gemma ran up the stairs, presumably to put my number into her phone and do girl stuff that I still didn't understand, despite having four sisters. Anne held me back as I went to open the door.   
“I knew you were in love with my son the minute I set eyes on you. You looked at him like he was your world, and I hope you treat him like that in the future.”  
“Yes, I will, Mrs. Cox. I will never hurt Harry again. I just hope he takes me back...” I answered, biting my lip nervously. She smiled.  
“I think he will. And please, call me Anne.”

________________

The next afternoon, when we were all at practice, I tried avoiding Harry at all costs. I had been doing that before, but now I was really trying. I couldn't have him realizing what we were up to in any way. Adding on to that, I could barely speak due to my throat, and I needed to save it for the singing I would be doing later.   
We played a quick scrimmage, and then Coach called us into the locker room. I looked confusedly at Niall and Liam, but both of them had their heads down, like they were nervous or something. I shrugged and went in with the rest of the team, sitting with the both of them. Harry sat with Josh and a few of the alternate forwards, playing with his jersey and looking at the floor.  
“Alright team, I know we didn't do much today, but two of our members have something they need to announce to you lads. Niall, Liam, take it away.”  
OK, if I was confused before, it was nothing to this very moment. My head shot up as Niall and Liam stood up and walked out in front of the whole team, looking terrified. What the hell was going on? I noticed that Harry had raised his head as well. Apparently this was news to all of us.  
“Well, this is...quite hard for us to say...” Niall started, and Liam gave him a reassuring smile. “We figured that, when we told people, you guys would be the first to know.” Niall bit down on his lip, and Liam slipped his hand gently into Niall's.  
“We're gay, and we are dating, me and Niall.”  
Liam's words took a bit to sink in, and then my mouth dropped. They hadn't mentioned a thing to me about coming out, yet here they were doing it. I looked guiltily over at Harry, but he was looking at the floor again, and I could swear that he was crying. I tried not to focus on that. The team was dead silent for a few moments, and Liam looked nervous, like maybe he shouldn't have gone through with this. But then a roar from the back of the crowd of sweaty lads rose up and then the whole team was cheering, getting up to pound them on the back. I was one of them, but I couldn't help but notice that Harry had disappeared, and the weight on my chest hit me hard. This could have been us, had I not been such a fucking idiot. But hopefully, in the future, this would be us, and that's all that kept me going. I went back and got dressed quickly, shooting quick glances at Liam and Niall, who were both grinning like idiots. They caught my eye and nodded. The plan was a go.  
I hurried out of the locker room and through the school to the parking lot. I'd had to bring my car, because carrying around a keyboard would be just a tad bit of a giveaway. Niall's guitar was also in the back seat, along with sheets of music for all the instruments. My stomach churned just thinking about it, and I sat in the front seat, scrunched down. Now all I had to do was wait. 

 

Harry POV:

“Wait, where are you guys going?” I asked quietly as Niall and Liam headed for the door the minute we got to my house. They looked at each other, and then at me, seeming surprised that I had talked to them.   
“Umm, we are gonna go out on a date to celebrate...you know,” Niall said, looking at Liam with heart eyes. I felt a little sad, but I also understood. They had just come out to the team, and would soon be out to the school. They deserved it  
“Oh, OK. Umm...I'm really proud of you guys. You deserve this.” I smiled at them and they grinned back before running out of the house, hand in hand. I sighed, feeling the crushing sadness coming down on me again at the sight. I wanted this to be me and Louis, but now it won't ever be. I started to head up to my room, but my sister blocked my progress on the stairs.  
“Hey, Haz. I was wondering if you wanted to go out? You know, spend some sister/brother bonding time! What do you say?”  
I looked at her for a second. She never asked for that, or hadn't for the past few years. But I felt like I needed to get out of the house. Maybe it would make me feel better, so I nodded. She grinned and pushed me back down the stairs, handing me my wallet as we went. How did she know that I would say yes?   
She called to Mum that we were leaving and would be back, and she yelled back that she loved us and to be safe. Gemma latched herself onto my wrist and dragged me to her car, smiling and acting super happy.  
“Gem, what's got into you?” I asked curiously. “You usually aren't this happy to hang out with me.”  
“I missed my little brother, that's all,” she said, ruffling my curls before pulling out her phone and texting someone.  
“Who are you texting?” I asked again, looking over her shoulder, but she put her phone away at that moment.  
“Oh, just a friend from school. She's talking about having a small party when we get back from break.” Gemma said nonchalantly, and I shrugged. She started up the car and backed out of the driveway. “So, where do you want to go?”

 

Louis POV:

I had almost given up hope when my phone buzzed. I picked it up, fumbling it and dropping it under my seat, and I grumbled out swear words and I dug around for it. When I finally got it, I saw that it was a text from Gemma, telling me that the coast was clear and I had about 30 minutes before she got back. I started up the car and probably broke every single traffic rule as I sped to Harry's house. I pulled into the driveway and jumped out. Niall and Liam came out from the backyard, covered in leaves but grinning like idiots. I opened the back door and they grabbed the keyboard, since I only had one good hand, and I got the guitar. Anne was ready, having the door open and everything, and we hurried in, heading straight up to Harry's room, and Niall and Liam began setting up. I, meanwhile, ran back down the stairs and out to my car. I had to move it so Harry wouldn't refuse to come into the house because I was there.  
I drove the car back to school and parked in one of the visitor spots, and then ran all the way back to Harry's house. Checking my phone, I saw that I only had about ten minutes. I picked up the pace and didn't stop until I was in Harry's room. It was an abrupt halt, because Liam and Niall were making out by the bed.  
“Oi, lads, not in here, yeah? I need my eyes!” I gasped to them, and they broke apart, looking sheepishly at each other. They were so cute, it was disgusting. The guilt threatened to crush me yet again, but I pushed it away. I was going to win Harry back.  
My phone buzzed and I looked down at it. “Gemma is on her way back. Everyone get ready.” I said, my voice shaking and rasping ever so slightly. Liam put a hand on my arm.  
“Save your voice. It's going to be OK.”  
“I hope so.”

 

Harry POV:

Gemma ended up taking me to the bakery downtown. It had always been my favorite place to go when I was a kid, and Gemma never forgets. She ordered for us both and joined me at the little booth that we always sat at.  
She didn't try to get me to talk, she just ate silently, and we enjoyed each others company. Eventually, I asked her about school, and she smiled, rattling off crazy stories of the people in her dorm. She also mentioned a boy that she liked, and that made me go into overprotective brother mode, but all in all, we had a good time. That is, until the door to the bakery opened, and the chatter of familiar voices reached my ears. I looked up, not daring to believe what I was hearing, but it was real. Louis' oldest sister, Lottie, had a twin on either side of her, and they were looking at the array of goodies, trying to decide on the perfect one. My breath caught in my throat and my eyes welled up with tears. I was now realizing how much the little twins resembled Louis, and I wouldn't last much longer before breaking down.  
Gemma looked at me and frowned, but then followed my gaze and realization came to her. She stood up, grabbed her purse, and took me by the hand.  
“This way, come on, Haz, you're OK. Come with me.” She led me through the kitchen and out the back door, and I followed her blindly, my tears obstructing my vision. We reached the car and piled in, and I wiped my cheeks quickly, trying not to show weakness. Gemma leaned over the divider and pulled me into a hug.   
“I know it hurts, Harry, but you're going to be alright, I promise.” She said soothingly into my ear.  
“W-want to go home, p-please.” I stuttered, and she pulled away, brushing my curls out of my eyes and nodding. She pulled out her phone again before starting the car and texted her friend. I didn't even bother looking this time, I just tried to forget about Louis. Which was impossible, as I had been trying all week.   
Gemma pulled into the driveway and stopped the car, looking over at me carefully.  
“You OK, love?”  
“Y-yeah. Just want to go to my room, lay down for a bit.” I mumbled, looking down at my feet and missing the small smirk that tugged at Gemma's lips.   
“OK, Haz. Come on, let's go inside. Mum might have some tea for you.”  
I got out of the car and followed Gemma inside. She went straight to the kitchen and returned a moment later with a cup of tea. I shook my head, trying to decline, but she forced it on me. I drank a sip and handed it back. I didn't want it, I already felt sick enough as it was. She sighed, but left for the kitchen. I made my way slowly up the stairs. Maybe if I fell asleep and just slept for the next year, I would forget about him. I opened the door to my bedroom and my heart stopped. There were people in my room, one of them being the one person I most and least wanted to see.


	37. Chapter 37

Harry's POV:

I just stood frozen in the doorway to my bedroom, not knowing whether to run away or walk in. Louis, Liam, and Niall were all in my room, Niall holding a guitar, Louis sitting next to a keyboard, and Liam just being Liam, with sheets of paper in his hands. My heart restarted and pounded out of my chest when I looked at Louis and saw that he was looking right back at me. His normally happy blue eyes were much duller than usual, and his eyes were slightly puffy, like he had spent a good bit of time crying. But why would he cry, if he hated me?  
“Haz, please, don't just stand there...come in!” Liam offered, but I didn't move. I couldn't move. Louis was biting his bottom lip, picking at the cast on his hand. Liam sighed and got up, walking over to me and gently taking hold of my wrist. He pulled me into the room and closed the door. He gestured to the bed, but I shook my head. I didn't want to sit down.  
“OK, you don't have to sit down, that's fine. But...umm, Louis has something he wants to say, or rather, sing. If that's alright with you.”   
My gaze shifted back to Louis, and his eyes were pleading. I didn't want to give in, not after the pain he caused me, but I could never resist his eyes. Especially since he looked so sad and alone and depressed. So I slowly nodded. All three of them let out a sigh of relief, and Liam sat down in his chair, holding up the papers for him and Niall. Louis licked his lips nervously, and Niall began to strum the guitar. It was something I had never heard before. Louis sat up straight and looked down at his paper, and began to sing. His voice sounded a bit raspy, but it was like...well, like an angel.

So your friends' been telling me,  
You've been sleeping with my sweater,  
And you can't stop missing me.  
Bet my friends' been telling you,  
I'm not doing much better,   
Cause I'm missing half of me.

Liam came in with harmony, and their voices blended beautifully together. I kept my eyes trained on the floor, refusing to look up, because I knew I would cry.

And being here without you  
It's like I'm waking up to  
Only half a blue sky,  
Kinda there, but not quite,  
I'm walking round with just one shoe,  
I'm half a heart without you  
I'm half a man, at best,   
With half an arrow in my chest,  
I miss everything we do,  
I'm half a heart without you.

Now I looked up. Louis was looking at me now, the papers abandoned, and his eyes were full of tears, though none of them had slipped out yet. I could feel a sob building in my throat, but I kept it back as they continued.

Forget all we said that night,  
No, it doesn't even matter,  
Cause we both got split in two,  
If you could spare an hour or so,  
We'd go to lunch, down by the river,  
We could really talk it through.  
Being here without you  
It's like I'm waking up to  
Only half a blue sky,  
Kinda there, but not quite,  
I'm walking round with just one shoe,  
I'm half a heart without you  
I'm half a man, at best,   
With half an arrow in my chest,  
I miss everything we do,  
I'm half a heart without you.

Now I had tears in my eyes, and a few splashed down onto my cheeks. I bit my lip to keep from crying, and Louis continued to sing right to me, his voice shaking a little bit.

Though I tried to get you outta my mind,  
The truth is I got lost without you,  
And since then, I've been waking up to  
Only half a blue sky,  
Kinda there, but not quite,  
I'm walking round with just one shoe,  
I'm half a heart without you  
I'm half a man, at best,   
With half an arrow in my chest,  
I miss everything we do,  
I'm half a heart without you.

Niall ended the song with a nice chord, and Louis cleared his throat, wiping away a few tears. I just stood there, dumbstruck and not bothering to wipe my cheeks as Louis started talking.  
“Harry...I'm so sorry. I was a jerk and I fucking fucked up, and I completely understand if you hate me. But I wrote that song the day after it happened. I'm not me unless I have you. I love you.”   
My eyes widened at that. Had he just said...he just said that he loved me. Was he being serious?  
“You probably don't believe me, and I get that. I just have one more thing to show you before you kick me out, yeah?” He moved to a chair behind the keyboard and placed music on the stand. Niall tuned his guitar a little bit, and Louis said one more thing.  
“That piano player that you said you liked? Well, you're about to meet him, and I hope you like him.”   
Louis placed his hands on the keys and started playing chords. Niall and Liam bounced a little in time to the music, and then Liam came in with his part.

Been a lot of places,   
I've been all around the world,  
I've seen a lot of faces,   
Never knowing where I was,  
On the horizon,   
Oh, well I know, I know, I know, I know,  
The sun will be rising back home

Niall grinned and came in on the next verse.

Living out of cases,  
Packing up and taking off,  
Made a lot of changes,  
But not forgetting who I was,  
On the horizon,  
Oh, well I know, I know, I know, I know,  
The moon will be rising back home

All three of them came in on the chorus, and my heart jolted. I knew this song, though from where, I couldn't quite place. It was almost like I remembered it from a dream. And it was even more beautiful in person.

Don't forget where you belong,  
Home  
Don't forget where you belong,  
Home,   
If you ever feel alone,  
Don't,  
You are never on your own,  
And the proof is in this song.

Louis looked in his element as his eyes closed and he played from memory, and I realized that this was the piece I had been hearing the piano player play this entire time. Louis Tomlinson was my piano guy.   
A sob finally escaped me and they stopped playing, Louis standing up in concern. He moved around the piano and approached me cautiously.   
“I just...I'm so sorry, Harry. I never wanted to hurt you, and I ended up doing it anyway. Is there any way you can forgi-”  
I cut him off and pulled him into my arms roughly, crying onto his shoulder. His whole body tensed for a moment before he realized what was happening, and then he relaxed, wrapping his arms around me. He combed through my hair with one hand, trying to calm me down.  
“Lou...I...I love you too...” I sobbed, hugging him tighter.  
“Does this mean you forgive me?” He asked, still pressed to my chest. His voice was a little hesitant, as though what I had just said wasn't clear enough for him. So I pulled back, still crying, and cupped his face, pressing my lips to his. Every single thing that had been weighing down on me was lifted the moment my lips touched his, and I felt that familiar spark. Louis pulled himself closer to me, deepening the kiss, and I did not protest.  
There was a chorus of 'awwww' from the door way and we broke apart to see my mum and sister standing there, looking at us lovingly. We sheepishly grinned at each other and I pulled him back to my chest, hugging him tightly. Niall and Liam pretended to throw up behind Louis' back, but I didn't even care. I had my Lou back, and he loved me. And that was all I needed.

________________

Liam and Niall hadn't lied to me...they did have a date planned to celebrate their coming out, but it was later than they had insinuated. I really couldn't be mad at them for hiding this, because it made me happy in the end. So they did leave soon after the scene in my bedroom, after helping Louis pack up the guitar and the keyboard. Louis' hand was held loosely at his side, since he had abandoned the sling in order to play the piano, and I didn't have the guts to ask him about it until we were alone in his room, some hours later.  
My mum and sister left us alone after that, and we had just cuddled on my bed, sneaking kisses in every now and then and just enjoying being with each other. But every time I caught a glimpse of his hand, I became more and more curious, so I finally just asked.  
“Lou, what happened to your hand?”   
He looked down at it guiltily and then back up at me.  
“I, uh, punched a locker. Multiple times, actually.”  
“Fuck, why would you do that?” I said, picking up his casted hand gingerly and pressing kisses to his fingertips.  
“I realized what I had done, and I was furious with myself and really sad, so I just kept punching it. I didn't feel any pain until later. I sprained my wrist and broke two fingers...but I'm fine, really...” He insisted, but that didn't stop me from tearing up a little. His voice was still extremely husky, but I understood that, mine being the same from crying all week. Which is why I couldn't allow myself to cry now. I had him back, and that's what mattered.   
“Lou, please, don't hurt yourself over me. I know it's too late to be telling you that, but please.” I said sadly, rubbing my thumb over his exposed fingers. He reached for my face with his good hand, cupping my cheek and bringing me down for a kiss.  
“I promise I won't,” He said against my lips, and my whole body shuddered. I missed this so much. Being with him, laughing with him, being able to call him mine. But I won't deny that I also missed the sexual aspect of it. Instead of breaking apart after a few seconds, like we had been doing, the kiss continued and started to get heated. I could feel myself going hard, and I pulled away from him. Even though he had apologized and I had forgiven him, I still didn't want to go too far when we had just made up. He didn't ask questions but rather cuddled up to me, his head on my chest. His hand was tangled with mine on top of the covers.  
“Lou...did you mean it? When you said you loved me?” I asked, out of the blue. He looked at me, surprised, and I looked embarrassingly at the floor. I hadn't wanted to ask, but I needed to know.  
“Hazza, I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it with all of my heart. Did you mean it?”  
“Of course I did. I've loved you since hi.”  
“Oops,” Louis whispered, bringing his lips to mine for a short kiss, and we snuggled down under the blankets, him holding me close to him as we fell asleep. 

 

Louis POV:

The next day, I took Harry to my house again. I had never been happier as we drove across town, holding hands with Harry across the divide in the car. Well, he was holding my hand. Since that hand was in a cast, I really couldn't bend my fingers or link them with his. But he didn't seem to mind. If anything, he still seemed a bit guilty about that. I wiggled my non-broken fingers underneath his palm and he jumped. He smacked me across the arm and then leaned in to kiss my cheek. I blushed lightly and kept driving until we reached my house.   
No sooner had the car stopped that I leaned over, pulled Harry's face around, and captured his lips with my own. He made a slight noise of surprise but didn't stop me from kissing him. He seemed...very horny, judging by his intensity, but I knew he was hesitant to do anything quite yet after just getting back together, so I just smiled against his lips and pulled back, getting out of the car and running around to open his door for him. He blushed, keeping his eyes trained on the ground as he got out of the car, and it took all my willpower not to kiss him again, he looked so adorable.  
I barely got the front door open before all four of my sisters came running at Harry. The twins attached themselves to his legs, while Fizzy and Lottie simply hugged him. He looked completely overwhelmed, but he welcomed all of the hugs, hobbling inside with a girl on each leg. I closed the door, all of my sisters talking noisily and basically fangirling over my boyfriend, and then my mum came out of the kitchen.   
“Harry! It's so wonderful to see you!” She cried coming to hug him herself. She was about to say something, I just knew it, so I gave her a warning look and she nodded, letting Harry go.  
“Come on, now, girls, let Harry go!” She said cheerily, trying to pry Daisy and Phoebe off of Harry. They reluctantly let go, but Daisy tugged on Harry's pant leg, and he crouched down to talk to her.  
“Please don't ever leave again,” She whispered to him, but now that Lottie and Fizzy were gone, I could hear her perfectly.   
“I won't do that, I promise.” He replied, and she nodded.  
“Good. Lou wasn't happy without you. I like happy Lou better.” Phoebe added, and Harry chuckled, hugging them both.  
“I'll be around a lot more often, I hope. So you two have nothing to worry about. You better run along, do what your mother says.” He said in a mock stern voice, and to my very great surprise, they hurried after my mum into the kitchen. Harry stood back up and I took the opportunity to slide my hand into his, ignoring how I couldn't lock fingers with him.  
“How? How do you do it?” I asked in disbelief, and he looked around cautiously, before leaning in and motioning me to do the same. I leaned in, and he whispered dramatically,  
“Magic, Lou.”   
I laughed, a loud piercing laugh, and clapped a hand over my mouth. I never laughed like that, not in front of people anyway. Harry looked shocked, but pulled my hand away and pecked my lips gently, pulling me towards the stairs. I took the lead and we went up to my room. I closed the door and Harry looked around carefully. He had never actually been in my room before, which I almost forgot.  
“You have a lot of footie stuff...” He observed quietly, looking at all the medals and trophies I had around.  
“It's nothing big. I just liked footie. I played in school and out of school...it made me happy. Helped me forget all the shitty stuff that happened in my life.” I said, trying to keep my voice even and act like it was nothing. If truth be told, footie was the only thing that kept me from being depressed. First my parents got divorced, then I discovered that I was gay, and then I came out, only to get ridiculed by my teachers, of all people. Football kept me sane. But I didn't want to dump all of that on him, not now, and probably not ever.  
He sat down, chewing his bottom lip, and kept quiet. I was used to quiet Harry by now, but when he was gnawing on his lip, I knew something was bothering him. I came around to where he was sitting on the bed and I settled in his lap, looping my arms around his neck.  
“What's wrong, Hazza?” I asked, pressing light kisses to his neck.  
“S'nothing, Lou.” He insisted, nuzzling his nose against my hair. I smiled sadly, pulling away from him so I could look him in the eye. I knew he couldn't keep quiet when I stared at him directly. He caught my eye quickly and diverted his gaze, but I could tell by his renewed chewing of his lip that he was going to tell me, so I waited.  
“I...I just feel really guilty, I guess.” He mumbled, staring at the floor, and my eyebrows knit. What would he have to be guilty for?   
“Umm...I wasn't thinking, l-last week. I just...it's all my fault. What with footie and having to take care of your family, I should have known you were busy and I sh-shouldn't have taken it to heart. It's my fucking fault for being insecure, I should have t-trusted you.” His voice shook and his stutter started to come back a little. I waited, but he didn't seem able to continue if he wanted to, so I just hugged him again and pressed my lips to his gently.  
“It isn't your fault. I shouldn't have yelled at you. Please don't get upset, Haz. If anything, we were both at fault. But what matters now is that we are here, we are together, and I love you. I love you so much.”   
“I love you too, Lou. Don't...just don't ever let me go...” He whispered, his voice breaking slightly. He buried his face in my chest, just nuzzling me, and I let him, combing through his curls gently and placing kisses on the top of his head. We sat there for a few minutes, just holding each other, and then there was a knock on my door.   
“Come in,” I called, sliding off of Harry's lap and standing up as my mum came in, looking a bit frazzled.   
“Lou, I know Harry is here, but the twins want to go to the bakery and Lottie and Fiz are going out with friends and I need to be here because Mark is coming home soon...is there any way that you can take them?”  
I looked over at Harry, and he shrugged, standing up and brushing off his pants, still biting his lip. I don't think he understood how much I wanted to kiss him when he did that. But I pushed that thought away and turned back to my mother.  
“Yeah, of course, Mum. Don't worry. Just relax and take a few minutes, yeah?” I suggested, picking up my wallet.  
“Thank you so much. Harry I'm so sorry that you have to do this...” My mum said, but Harry just shook his head.  
“I don't mind helping out. I don't have little siblings, this will be fun for me.” He said, smiling warmly at her, and his dimple popped out. I looked down and blushed, trying to hide it from my mum. She sighed and left the room, closing the door behind her, almost like she knew what I wanted. I turned to Harry and pulled him in close, kissing him. He kissed back eagerly, and I bit down lightly on his bottom lip. His small gasp was enough for me to get my tongue into his mouth, and we casually made out for a minute or so. I pulled away, panting a little. I didn't want to get hard and then take my sisters out in public.  
“Later...” I whispered, and he nodded eagerly. I opened my door and took Harry's hand, walking down the stairs to meet my sisters at the door. They were both smiling broadly and one ran to each of us. I picked Phoebe up and Harry scooped up Daisy, and with that, we were off to the bakery. 

 

Harry POV:

I don't know what it was about Louis' family, but they all seemed to adore me, and I really appreciated it. No one had ever taken much interest in me, other than the few friends I had and now Louis. And now his whole family just liked being with me, and it made me feel special.  
Daisy held onto me tightly as we walked down the street. Phoebe was walking next to her brother, holding his hand and talking to him about something. It almost felt like we were parents or something, and as soon as that thought entered my head, my insides went fuzzy and warm.  
“Harry, what do you like most about Louis?” Daisy's little voice broke through my thoughts, and I turned my head to look at her. Louis was now paying attention as well, looking at me with curiosity.  
“Yeah, Haz, what do you like about me, hmmm?” He asked cheekily, and I stuck my tongue out at him.  
“Well, I'd have to start with his sass...he's just so sarcastic, and it makes me laugh. That and his smile. His smile...makes me smile.” I answered simply, and Daisy's smile grew.  
“Do you love him?” She asked, her face morphing into something that almost looked like a stern mother. I stared at her for a moment, taking in that her eyes were the same blue as Louis'.   
“Yes. I really do love him.” I said quietly, and Louis blushed lightly, looking at his feet.  
“Aww, Lou's blushing!” Phoebe said loudly, poking Louis in the side, and Louis blushed harder, throwing Phoebe over his shoulder. She squealed but he didn't put her down, just ran ahead and laughed as she shrieked with laughter. I jogged to catch up and we stopped outside of the bakery. I put Daisy down, and the four of us walked in together.  
The little bell rang and the woman looked up from the cash register, smiling sweetly.  
“Back for more already, girls?” She addressed the twins, and the nodded eagerly, checking out the sweets. Louis came up next to me and slipped his hand into mine, leaning into me.  
“You want anything, Hazza?”  
“No, that's alright, Lou. I have everything I need.” I answered. I knew I was being cheesy, but he seemed to like it, because he actually almost giggled and rubbed circles on the back of my hand with his thumb, which was all he could do with the stupid cast on.  
The girls picked out what they wanted and we ordered, taking a seat at the same small booth that Gemma and I had shared just yesterday. It seemed like much longer than that, but so much had happened. Daisy broke her bread in half and handed me some, which I took, despite not being very hungry. We just kept small talk between us, enjoying being together, until the twins apparently got their sugar rushes, and started bombarding us with questions.  
“So, have you guys kissed?”  
“When are you getting married?”  
“Why are you so tall, Harry?”  
“How many kids do you want?”  
“OK, OK, hold on. Let's go one question at a time here,” Louis said with a laugh, and then he turned to me.  
“What do you say, Harold, have we kissed?” I blushed, secretly pleased that he had called me Harold, even though I hated it when people thought that it was my actual name. No. Just Harry.   
“I'd say yes, we have.” I answered, and he grinned. The twins groaned, but Louis just held up a hand and they got quiet again.  
“When are we getting married? Oh, I don't know...I always liked the idea of a spring wedding...”  
“We will cross that bridge when we get to it,” I said, stopping Louis from fantasizing too much. “And I'm tall because...well, my dad was tall.” I choked up just a bit on the last word, and Louis slid his bandaged hand onto my knee in comfort.  
“I've always wanted kids, and I'd say three is a comfortable number,” Louis mused, winking at me.  
“Yeah, three is good. Definitely three.” I agreed, stealing a bit of Phoebe's cookie. She made a face but didn't stop me. I supposed Louis stole her food all the time at home.  
“Will you kiss for us now?” Phoebe asked, and Daisy wacked her on the arm.   
“Phoebe, that's private stuff...”  
“I just wanna see!” She complained.  
“Alright, no need to fight. Sure, we can kiss if you like.” I looked at Louis, and he leaned in, his eyes closing before our lips had even touched. We kept it brief, only a few seconds long, but I knew I wanted more later. Phoebe looked thoroughly grossed out, but Daisy was looking at us, fascinated.  
“So...if you guys are boys and kissing...does that mean that if I wanted to kiss a girl, I could?” Daisy asked thoughtfully. I took this one.  
“You can kiss whomever you like. But not until you're older, like Louis, here. You've got years ahead of you.”   
Louis looked very satisfied with my answer, and merely nodded. He then checked his phone and sighed, getting up.   
“We need to get going, girls. Mum will have dinner ready soon, and you don't want to miss that.” he said, and they got up, brushing crumbs off of their clothes. Louis took hold of my hand, which I wasn't expecting, and that left a twin on either side of us. They happily took our hands, and we walked back up the street with leisure. I couldn't help looking over at Louis from time to time, and every time I saw this huge smile on his face, and the sparkle in his eyes. Finally, things were the way they should be, and I was loving every minute of it.


	38. Chapter 38

Harry's POV:

I didn't stop smiling for the rest of the weekend. Never in my life had I felt so happy and so free of burdens. I had Louis back in my life, and he was better than anything I could have ever hoped for. At almost all times of the day, I was thinking about him. Call me crazy, but he was the first thing to make me truly happy in a very long time, and I was taking it while it lasted.  
I walked into school on Monday with a smile on my face, and Louis, Liam, and Niall by my side. People stared, whispering to their friends. I guess they weren't used to seeing me happy. That, and I had taken Louis' advice, wearing my nicer clothes to school. Well, nicer than my usual clothes, but not fancy or anything like that. Louis kept looking up at me with his adorable smile and beautiful blue eyes, and the only regret I had was not being able to kiss him in the middle of the hallway, like Niall and Liam were currently doing.   
Speaking of Niall and Liam, everyone seemed to be taking it rather well, that they were dating. There were the few idiotic homophobes who mumbled 'fags' under their breath when Niall and Liam passed, holding hands, but most of the other people seemed to be unfazed, some even saying that they saw it coming, or that they were cute together. That was all I had ever wanted for them, and they looked so happy, it was hard not to smile, even if I was a bit jealous.   
Liam and Niall walked off down their hallway, while Louis walked with me to my locker. I was unsure about him doing this, since we weren't out and I didn't know how he felt about the whole coming out thing, but he insisted, and I wasn't going to argue about having my boyfriend walk me to my locker. Besides, he already had his stuff and his first class was in the music wing, so it wouldn't look suspicious. I opened my locker slowly and started pulling stuff out for the day, and Louis just stood there, talking my ear off about his new music project and how he hoped that it would be good enough to get an A.   
“Louis, calm down! You are going to do a great job. If it is anything like the two songs you sang for me, you will most definitely get an A, or higher, if that's even possible.” I said, putting a hand on his arm to comfort him.   
“I know...you're right, I know. I'm just nervous...” His cheeks reddened as my hand stayed on his arm, and he bit his lip. I knew what he was after. I looked around, and, seeing as there were no people in the hallway at the moment, I leaned down and swiftly pecked him on the cheek.  
“You're going to do fine. I'll see you at lunch, OK?”  
He nodded, and I let my hand slide down his arm, just barely ghosting over his fingertips with my own before turning and walking away. I really hoped that no one saw the big goofy smile on my face as I walked to class. But Louis just made me feel stupidly happy, and I couldn't hide that. 

________________

Lunch started out amazing, and that is something I never thought possible. I was all happy and joking with Louis and other members of the team, and everyone was fawning over the cuteness of Niall and Liam. Some of the team noticed the change and were giving me questioning looks, but I didn't even care. I was happy, really happy.  
“Yo, Styles, what the hell are you wearing? Are you trying to be more gay, or was it an accident?” said a voice behind me, and just like that, my smile was gone, replaced with a frown. His friends were standing there, looking down at all of us in disgust. The whole table got quiet and most of them just glared at the three guys. They had been on the team before he had been taken away, and then they just quit. But now they were here, after leaving me alone for two weeks.   
“Look, I'm just trying to be myself and I'm happy...so leave me the hell alone, why don't you?” I snapped, and people gasped. I had never stood up for myself like that in public. But I was done with their bullshit. I didn't want anything else to ruin what I had.  
“Nah, Nick told us to keep it up till he gets back, and we listen.” One of them said, and they took a few steps towards me. I tried not to cower away...and then Louis was standing up. Granted, he was about four inches shorter than the shortest of them, but his fists were balled and he was pissed as fuck.  
“You lay a finger on him, I'll fuck you up so fucking bad...now leave.” He growled, and the team looked on silently, waiting to see what happened. Liam looked worried, and I didn't know what to do. Louis was standing up for me. In front of everyone. Which was nice, but he was scaring me.   
All three of them burst out laughing.  
“What are you gonna do about it? Come on, fight me...”  
Liam and I grabbed Louis by the arms to hold him back as he lunged for them. His face was flushed with anger and he was struggling, but mine and Liam's combined strength kept him safe. The three guys laughed again and departed, and we pulled Louis back down into his seat. He was breathing hard and looked ready to punch a wall.   
“Haz, you gotta get him out of here...” Liam whispered behind Louis' back, and I nodded.  
“Come on, Lou, let's go.” I said, standing up and grabbing my stuff. Louis shook his head, but I pulled on his arm until he stood up and followed me, still fuming. I slipped around the corner and into a hallway, pulling Louis along with me until we were far enough away from the cafeteria that no one would see us.  
“Fuck them. Just...I fucking hate them, Haz. They have no right to go around bullying people for being who they are, and they definitely didn't need to bring him up. I fucking hate it when people try to hurt the ones I love. You should have let me punch him, I could have taken him on.” He ranted, and I took hold of his hand, playing with his fingers.  
“No, Lou. I didn't want you getting hurt. I know that they were out of line, but I'm used to that, you know, being teased and all that. It doesn't matter.”  
“Yes it does! You looked so hurt, and I don't want my Hazza to be hurting. You did enough of that and I want it to change.” He said, his voice becoming choked up.  
“Louis...I...just, listen to me, yeah? You have changed my life, turned it upside down and back upright again. You've made me happier than I've ever been, and I love you so much. You don't need to beat up guys to show me that you care, because I can see it every time you look at me.” I said earnestly, trying to get him to look at me.   
“I'm sorry...I just...I don't want them making you feel worthless. You mean the word to me...” He mumbled, and I could tell he was close to tears. I cupped his face in my hands and pressed my lips to his.  
“Don't be sorry. I still love you, and I always will. Come on, we have class to get to. You OK?” I asked, still holding his face. He nodded, and leaned up on his toes to kiss me again.   
“You're amazing, Hazza. I love you.”  
“I love you too, Lou.” I answered, rubbing my nose against his. He grinned a little bit and blushed, and that's when I knew that everything was back to normal. 

________________

When I saw Louis at practice later, he looked much better. His smile was back and he was talking animatedly with Niall and Liam as I hurried into the locker room. I dumped my stuff down next to Louis' and stripped my shirt and jeans, throwing them on the floor. The team was already starting to head out to the field, and Liam and Niall winked at us before leaving with them. Louis stood there and waited for me. I started hopping around, trying to pull on my cleats, but Louis suddenly pressed me against the lockers, kissing me roughly. I did not object to this, but dropped my remaining cleat on the floor and pulled him in close to me, kissing him back. He nibbled on my bottom lip and I allowed him entrance, letting my tongue dance with his. A small moan escaped me as he started to bite on my lip, but then he pulled back.  
“S-sorry,” He panted, wiping his lips. “I needed that.”  
I merely nodded, not having a word to say. I picked up my cleat and shoved it on my foot, trying to calm the semi in my pants. In these shorts, it would be very obvious. I followed Louis out to the field, adjusting myself and trying not to look suspicious.  
“What the hell did you do to him, Lou?” Niall said with a laugh as we approached them.  
Louis smirked and I looked away from him, praying for my boner to go away.  
“Damn, Louis, he looks half wrecked, and I know you didn't have time for that in there...”  
“Wh-what are you talking about?” I asked, because I was confused as hell. Niall held up his phone on the camera for me to see and I gasped. My cheeks were flushed pink, my lips were swollen, and my green eyes were slightly glassy. My hair, which was usually a little messy, was all over the place.  
Niall and Liam both laughed and then we went to the huddle before real practice began. Coach looked around at each one of us, and I thought I saw a small smirk pull at the corner of his mouth as his eyes landed on me and Louis. I tried to keep my face neutral and Coach started talking.  
“OK, lads, this is it. The last practice before the National Championships. We won't have practice tomorrow because I want you guys to have a day off, relax, and get ready. The last time we went, we won only at the very last second, and it was a win none the less, but I'd rather not be that stressed out. The bus will leave after school Wednesday, and the game starts at 7PM that night. Be sure to tell your parents. Everyone is going to be there.”  
“Umm, Coach? Who are we playing?” Josh called from the back of the huddle, and the confident look on Coach's face vanished, replaced by a grimace.   
“That is a great question. I'm not sure I should disclose that information until after we practice...” Coach hesitated, but Louis said firmly,  
“Just tell us. We need to know what we're up against.”   
The rest of the team nodded, and Coach let out a breath.  
“OK...We're playing Doncaster.”  
Louis' face lost all color and he almost collapsed on the spot. I grabbed him and held him upright, frightened. Coach looked over and he looked sympathetically at Louis before continuing.  
“We're playing Doncaster, and they are widely known as the best team out there. We are good, but we need to step up our game just a little if we want to beat them.”  
“Lou, you OK?” I whispered as Coach talked, and he nodded, but he was still white as a sheet and he was shaking slightly.  
“Louis, are you sure you don't want to sit down, mate? You aren't looking so good...” Niall asked, sounding slightly scared. This time, Louis nodded, so Niall and I aided him over to the bench and helped him sit down. I reached for a water bottle and handed it to him and he drank from it, breathing deeply.  
“What's wrong? Please talk to me...us,” I said, gripping his hand tightly. I didn't even care that the team would probably see. He needed someone, and I was his boyfriend. I was going to be there for him no matter what.  
“D-doncaster...That's my old school...” He said quietly, drinking more water. Niall and Liam and I all looked at each other, confused.  
“Well, that shouldn't be too bad...why, what happened there?” Liam asked, and Louis squeezed his eyes shut, as though trying to forget that this was happening.  
“I...when I came out...they...” he choked out, a few tears spilling onto his cheeks. He wiped them away angrily.  
“What did they do? I'll kill them...” Niall said harshly, looking angry. Louis gulped and I gave his hand a squeeze, trying to comfort him, despite not knowing exactly what was going on.  
“It...It wasn't the kids...it was the teachers. They...well, long story short I had to leave. I wasn't welcome there.” He explained, his voice shaking. I could feel the anger towards those people who had hurt my Lou boiling up inside me, but I kept it down. He didn't need me being pissed right now. What he needed was comfort.  
“Lou...love, look at me.” Louis opened his watery blue eyes and looked right at me. “We are gonna kick their fucking asses, and screw what they think of you. You love playing footie and you're gonna show them that you are no different than everyone else, and how much they lost by forcing you to leave. You belong here.”  
He nodded and squeezed my hand back, forcing a small smile.   
“Harry's right, Louis. If they didn't want you, it's their loss. You're amazing and we all know it and appreciate you just the way you are...even though no one exactly knows yet. But they wouldn't care even if they did know.”  
“What they said...I'm not as good with words as these two,” Niall added lamely, and it made Louis chuckle a little. He stood up and ran his hands over his face to clear it of any left over tears.   
“You guys are right. This is my chance to show them up, and I'm fucking taking it.”  
With nods and hugs all around, we ran onto the field for drills.

________________

As practice went on, the whole team started to work harder and do our best moves better. I don't know what Coach said to them while I was with Louis, but they must have found out that they were really good, because they were working their asses off.  
“You lads are ready for this! Great practice today. I'll see you all on Wednesday in the parking lot, ready to go!” We all cheered and headed back to the locker room, sweaty but smiling. Even Louis had a determined grin on his face.  
“Hey, Harry, can I talk to you?” I turned to see Josh looking at me.  
“Go on, guys, I'll catch up,” I called to Niall, Louis, and Liam. Louis gave Josh a strange look before heading off with the other two.  
“What's up, Josh?” I asked as we slowed down to get behind the rest of the team.  
“Umm, I know it's none of my business, but what's going on with you and Tommo?”  
My heart jolted and I knew my cheeks were heating up. What should I do? I didn't like lying to people, but Louis and I hadn't talked about coming out yet.  
“Why do you ask?” I said slowly, trying to go with the safe approach, not denying or confirming it. Josh looked uncomfortable, but he continued bravely.  
“I kinda saw you guys kissing in the hallway during lunch...I didn't mean to, I swear, my locker was just down that hallway and I forgot something.”  
I didn't know what to say to him. If he had indeed seen us kissing, then the cat was out of the bag, and others had probably seen it too. I opened my mouth to respond, maybe even deny it, but Josh chuckled at the expression on my face.  
“It's OK, mate. I won't tell anyone. I'm surprised everyone else hasn't figured it out yet...you guys are kind of obvious...But I will keep your secret.”  
“Thank you...I'm not, like, ashamed or anything, but we haven't discussed coming out and I...just keep it on the down low, yeah?”  
“Of course, Harry. Thanks for clearing that up...I thought I was seeing things. But you guys...you're meant for each other. I can tell by the way you look at each other.”   
I blushed, and we headed into the locker room. Louis immediately jumped at me when he saw me, wanting to know exactly what had happened out there. I had to admit, jealous Louis was kinda hot. But I calmed him down enough to get my story out.  
“Josh saw us kissing earlier. But don't worry...he won't tell anyone.” Louis eyes got wide, but he looked slightly relieved that it had been just that and nothing else.  
“But...we do need to talk about that eventually...” I mumbled, and he nodded. Niall and Liam were in their own little world, exchanging cute little kisses as they changed, and I saw Louis looking at them longingly. He felt the same as me, I was sure. He wanted to be able to do that. And we would definitely discuss that later.


	39. Chapter 39

Louis' POV: 

I had wanted to talk to Harry about the whole coming out thing right after practice, but it didn't happen. As soon as I found out who we were playing, a plan started to formulate in my head. Yeah, sure, I was absolutely terrified to see my old team, and more than likely, a lot of teachers would be there, since it was taking place in Doncaster. But I was determined to show them that I didn't give a fuck about their opinions. I had come here and I had great friends and supportive teachers and a beautiful, however closeted, boyfriend. But if all went according to my plan, we wouldn't be closeted for much longer. We just had to beat Doncaster.  
It was Tuesday, and Liam, Niall, Harry, and I were walking back to Harry's house. We were all sleeping over for the first time in what felt like forever, and I was really looking forward to it. Niall and Liam were holding hands, swinging them back and forth between them, and I could see the longing in Harry's eyes. I knew that he probably really wanted to discuss coming out. He was already out and probably didn't like being back in the closet, in a way. But I had so far managed to keep him away from touching that subject. One more day.   
I nudged Harry's hand with mine, which was still casted, much to my distaste, but it got a smile out of him, and he rubbed his thumb on my arm gently. He was so endearing, it almost hurt. We reached his house and piled through his front door, heading for Harry's bedroom.   
“Hey, boys! I'll bring some snacks up, yeah?” My mum called from the kitchen, and we all shouted in agreement. I followed Harry up the stairs, and for some reason, I could not take my eyes off of his bum. I was still a bit horny from the locker room incident, which had been entirely my fault, but that's beside the point. And his bum was so perfect, despite being a bit small. I snaked my hand forward and gave it a pinch, causing Harry to yelp in surprise and jump, almost falling down the stairs and crushing me. Niall and Liam turned, but Harry just waved them on, staying where he was and trying to catch his breath from the heart attack I just gave him. When Liam and Niall were safely up the stairs, Harry turned to me, his eyes wide.  
“Lou, I need you...” His voice was practically pleading with me as he took a step back towards me.  
“Haz, we are on your fucking stairs!”  
“I don't care...” He murmured, stepping closer until I was pressed against the wall. I smirked.  
“Well this is certainly a change of events,” I said cheekily, leaning forward to press a small kiss to his lips, but it ended up not being so small. As soon as his lips touched mine, that small bit of arousal that had been laying dormant in me during practice exploded. We both pulled each other close and deepened the kiss immediately, not even bothering to have any teasing and going straight for the tongue. Harry's hand slipped between us and he began to palm me through my jeans.  
“Holy shit, Haz...” I mumbled against his lips, moving under his hand. He whined slightly and pressed closer to me, now grinding slightly on me. In the back of my mind I knew that his mum or his sister could walk around the corner at any moment and see us doing this, but the rest of my mind and my body didn't seem to care all that much.   
“Oi, you two. Save the fucking for later, would you?” said a voice, sounding half amused and half stern, and Harry and I broke apart at once. Gemma was standing at the bottom of the stairs with a plate of snacks for us, smirking. I didn't blush often, but I knew that my cheeks were burning red right now. Harry looked completely out of it but he just nodded and gripped my wrist, dragging me up the stairs and into his room. Niall and Liam had already made themselves quite comfortable on Harry's bed.  
“Lads, not in my bed, god!” Harry shouted at them, and they broke apart as well, looking at us with bright cheeks and red lips.  
“Hey, if you two can have happy time on the stairs, then we can do something while we wait,” Niall retorted, pressing a kiss to Liam's neck. Liam sighed and sat up, keeping one hand firmly in Niall's, and they got off the bed. When there were four of us, we preferred to sit on the floor. Gemma came in after us, placing the plate on the floor and faking disgusted faces at us. But all of us groaned when she ruffled Harry's curls before leaving. Harry smiled a little. They had such a good relationship, it almost made me wish for an older sibling.  
We spent most of the afternoon and the early evening talking about strategies for the game. All of the boys avoided actually mentioning the name of the team we were up against, and I knew they were doing it for my sake. I didn't want to be treated like a scared little shit, but not mentioning the name and acting like it was just another team actually helped us figure out more strategy. When Anne called us down for dinner, we all groaned as we pulled ourselves to our feet. We were getting too old for this. I winced uncomfortably as my hard on, which was still semi there from earlier, rubbed against my boxers and jeans. From the look on Harry's face as he stood up, he was having the same problem. We needed to take care of that later.   
Dinner was the longest hour I had ever sat through. I sat in between Niall and Liam so I wouldn't be tempted to touch Harry, but that meant he was sitting directly across from me, and looking up into his green eyes every few seconds was not helping my cause. I think everyone at the table knew what was going on, because they kept smirking at each other and then looking not so subtly at me or Harry. Finally, I just couldn't take it any more.  
“I...I left something upstairs. I'm gonna go get it,” I announced, pushing myself back from the table and taking my plate to the sink before practically running out of the kitchen. I took the stairs two at a time, which was a lot for me, and closed the door to Harry's bedroom rather harder than I meant to. I ran my hands through my hair, making it stick up on end, and tried to think of anything I could to make my very obvious boner go away, but nothing was working. I groaned and sat down on the bed, wincing slightly.  
The door suddenly opened, and I looked up to see Harry closing the door behind him quietly. No one was with him.  
“I came to see if you were alright...” He said quietly, biting his lip like he always did. He looked so fucking innocent, but so hot at the same time, and it was really messing with my head.  
“M'fine, Hazza. Really...” I said jerkily, looking away from him. But that didn't stop him from coming over and sitting down next to me.  
“Well, I know I'm not OK, and I'd really like your help with that, if that's alright with you...” he phrased it like a question, like he was unsure if I was OK with him touching me. I knew he was doing it on purpose, teasing me. So I decided, why not be a tease back.  
“I don't know, Harry. I don't know if that's a good idea. Maybe I should just get a cold shower...” I barely finished my sentence before he attacked my lips with his own, and I forgot everything else other than him. I kissed back almost hungrily, because damn, I really needed this right now. Harry's hand went between us immediately, rubbing me, and I groaned, probably louder than was necessary. At this point, however, I was desperate, and it felt so good.   
“Hazza...p-please do something...anything...” I breathed into his mouth between kisses.   
“Let's get those pants off, love. Let you breathe a little...” He murmured back, and we both stood, not breaking contact as we stripped down to our boxers. I felt his mouth move and attach to the sweet spot just below my ear. He began sucking and biting and I could barely take it. I knew I was leaking precome like nobody's business, and from what I could tell, so was Harry. I pulled him right up against me and grinded up onto him. He moaned into my neck at the contact and grinded back. Shit, it felt amazing.  
“Haz, please...” I said, panting a little, and Harry's hand slipped beneath my boxers, grabbing hold of me and jerking me slowly.  
“Oh god...” I moaned, gripping onto him tightly and finding his lips again. His thumb ran over the tip and I gasped, feeling myself coming closer and closer to my release.  
“M'almost there,” I whispered, and suddenly his hand was gone. I whined at the loss of it, but his hand was dragging my boxers down, letting me spring completely free. I didn't know what to do when he pulled me on top of him on his bed, and both of us were naked. Holy fucking shit, he was huge! I didn't want to say anything, though, so I just let it happen, and both of our cocks rubbed against each other, bare skin on bare skin. This had happened before, but not where we could both see it happening, and that definitely added to it.   
“Damn, Lou...m'really close...” Harry groaned, and I grinded down onto him quickly, making him groan even more. A few more quick rubs and we were both coming on each other, panting and trying to keep as quiet as we could. I just collapsed on top of him, completely aware that we were covered in come and just not caring much.   
“God...Louis...” Harry gasped out, still riding out his high.  
“That was way overdue, love,” I said back, pressing a closed mouth kiss to the corner of his mouth. His lips curved up in a smile and he held me there for a bit.  
“We are disgusting...” He finally observed, scrunching his nose as I moved a little on top of him. I kissed his nose and got up, getting a full view of what I had just been laying on. I tried not to make any faces, but apparently, Harry knew that I was shocked, because he chuckled and stood up himself, going to the closet. He came back with an old flannel and tossed it to me. I cleaned myself off quickly and then tossed it back for him to do the same, pulling on my clothes as I heard footsteps on the stairs. Harry scrambled into his clothes and just managed to button his pants when the door opened and Niall and Liam came in. They stopped and stared at us, and we stared right back, none of us saying anything. I had a feeling a lot of silent communication was happening between Liam and Harry, so I just looked at the floor and started pulling toothbrush and toothpaste and pajamas from my bag. When I looked up, Niall and Liam were on their way out, calling goodnight. Niall looked back, caught my eye, and smirked.  
Harry turned to me as soon as the door was shut and said, hesitantly,  
“Umm, you can stay in here, if you like. You know, I'll share my bed...I don't mind.” He was acting all hesitant again, and I hated it, but he had his reasons and I respected that.   
“Sure, Hazza, that sounds good. I'll be right back, yeah?” He nodded and I left the room to do the essentials. When I returned, it was to find Harry already in bed, staring at the ceiling. I put my stuff back in my bag and crawled in behind him, snuggling up to him.  
“What's on your mind?” I asked, running my good hand through his hair gently. He closed his eyes at my touch.  
“Just nervous about tomorrow. I...I wanna win, for you. You deserve recognition for being on a good team. I want to show them that it doesn't matter whether we are gay or not, that we can still play a good game of footie...it's stupid and makes no sense, I know, but I'm still worried. I don't want them trying to hurt you.” I felt that nagging fear that had been hidden in me rising, but I forced it down. I had to remain calm about this whole situation.  
“Even if they do hurt me, I won't care. Because I have you.” I said lightly, placing a kiss on his collar bone. He nuzzled the top of my head and I curled into his chest, smiling. The sexual stuff was nice, but just cuddling with Harry was my favorite thing. That's where this had all started, anyway. A sleepover and me deciding to crawl into Harry's bed. So it was kind of nostalgic for me.   
“I love you, Lou.”  
“Love you too, Haz,” I mumbled in a sleepy voice, and Harry reached over to turn out the light before wrapping his arm around me, holding me to his chest as we both drifted off to sleep. 

________________

I was completely fine until we got on the bus after school the next day. I had made it through the day without really thinking about the game all that much. We had only talked about it vaguely at lunch, and discussed whose parents were coming and such. I knew that my whole family was coming, along with Harry's mum and Gemma, and Liam and Niall's parents as well. Some of the rest of the team's families were coming, but most of them were just gonna be there by themselves. It made me feel bad, that I had such a huge family that supported me when others didn't, but I couldn't do much about that.   
But it was that moment that I sat down in the back of the bus, and everyone got on and the bus rolled away from school that it fully hit me. I was on my way back to my hometown, the place where I had been laughed at and made fun of for what I wore and who I was. I had changed a lot in the past few months, but the memories were still quite painful.  
“Hey...Lou, you doing alright?” Harry's soft voice spoke in my ear so that no one, not even Niall or Liam, could here. I thought about lying, but I knew he would see right through it. So I shook my head honestly and bit down on my lip. Now was not the time to get emotional. Harry looked around the bus carefully, but we were in the back, and there was no one to see us. He carefully wrapped his arm around me and pulled me to his chest, kissing my hair.  
“I'm right here...everything is going to be fine. I won't let them near you.” He whispered, and I nodded to let him know I understood, trying to remain calm. It was kind of strange having him be the one taking care of me and making sure I was alright, but I was grateful for him.   
“I don't want to see them...they all hate me...” I mumbled into his chest, and he shook his head  
“I'm sure that there were some people who stood by you, weren't there?”  
“Well, a few of the guys on the team did, but no one else.” I answered, praying to all gods to keep me from crying. I pulled away from Harry and brushed a hand through my hair, trying to play it cool. I forced a smile and settled back in my seat, closing my eyes and leaning my head against the window. My hand was held up in its sling, so that hopefully I wouldn't have to use it while playing, and it felt weird laying across my chest, but I ignored it. Maybe if I slept, things would be better.

 

Harry POV:

Everything had been going just fine until the air conditioning in the bus stopped working. I know what you're thinking. 'Oh, it's can't be that hot, you'll live, just open the windows or something, blah blah blah,' but this was a coach bus. The windows were all locked and only opened in emergencies, and for some reason, one of those random warm fronts came through, and it was almost boiling outside. Plus, being on a bus with 30 sweaty guys didn't help much.  
Louis was asleep with his head against the window, and I wasn't going to wake him just to complain. This was keeping his mind off of going back to Doncaster, and that's all I wanted for him. He didn't need to get worked up before our biggest game of the season. I could see Niall and Liam sprawling out, stripping as much as they dared, but that still left them in t-shirts and shorts. The rest of the bus was doing the same. I leaned my head back on the seat and just let my eyes drift shut for a moment. It was so damn hot, and the bus couldn't pull over, because if it did, we would be late, and we couldn't afford to be late.   
It wasn't until about 20 minutes later when I knew something was wrong. I went to take a breath and it hurt. My chest felt tight, so I just let the breath go and tried again. It was just the heat, I was sure of it. But then I couldn't take a breath at all, and the small breathing I had started to become a wheeze. I inwardly cursed myself for leaving my inhaler in my football bag, which was under the damn bus. I tried to speak, but I couldn't get a word out, and Niall and Liam were asleep in front of me. I did the only thing I could think of. My hand found its way to Louis' knee and I squeezed hard. Louis stirred in his sleep and my free hand flew to my chest, my breathing becoming more labored. The bus was starting to spin a little. I needed help. I squeezed his knee again, and this time he grumbled, opening his eyes a little. His bleary stare traveled from my hand on his knee to the hand on my chest to my face, which must have looked bad, because suddenly he was wide awake.  
“Coach! COACH! Stop the bus!” He yelled, and his voice rang in my ears. I gripped the seat rest, thinking that maybe that could get me some air.  
“Tomlinson, I can't just...”  
“Harry's having an asthma attack, he needs off this bus NOW! PULL OVER!” Louis bellowed, and Coach must have said something to the driver, because I felt the bus swerve to the side of the road.  
Louis turned my face to his and looked deep into my eyes, the blue of his burning.  
“Hazza, I need you to listen to my voice. Concentrate on taking small breaths, you can do this. It's going to be OK...”  
“Whasgoinon?” Niall's sleepy voice mumbled, and then he saw me. He shoved Liam awake and they both turned around, horrified.  
“Hazza...where's your inahler?” Louis' voice was becoming distant as I started to black out, but he slapped me across the face, which brought me back to reality. I motioned weakly to the bus floor, and Louis looked defeated.  
“Come on, lads, let me through...” I could hear Coach's voice, and then he was right next to me. “Help me get him off, Tomlinson. It's alright, Harry, you're going to be just fine.”   
I felt his arm go around me, and Louis grabbed my other side, wincing as he used his injured hand. I could barely focus at this point, lack of oxygen finally getting to me. I hung limp in their arms, barely conscious as they dragged me off the bus. I vaguely felt the change of temperature from the stuffy bus to the outside. Coach had Niall and Liam and a few others throwing bags out from under the bus, searching for mine, I assumed. I felt grass underneath me, and suddenly I was looking blearily at a blue sky.  
“L-Lou...” I gasped out, and Louis was there, gripping my hand and making me look at him.   
“Stay with me, Harry. Don't speak, just keep your eyes open, that's it.” I could barely hear his voice through the ringing in my ears, but I heard a bit of it and I focused on it. I could be strong...I had Louis.  
I think I did black out for a few seconds, because suddenly there was plastic touching my lips and my lungs were flooded with clear air. I gasped it in, and let them help me use my inhaler, until I could breathe on my own again. My whole body felt weak and limp, and I couldn't move. Someone, presumably Louis, had lifted my head into their lap, and was slowly threading their fingers through my curls.  
“Harry...can you hear me?”   
Definitely Louis. I nodded slowly, and tried to sit up, but my whole body protested. Louis held me back and then Niall and Liam appeared over me, as well as Josh and Coach.   
“What...what happened?” I asked, because I was still pretty out of it, and at this moment, I wasn't sure what had happened.   
“I think the heat of the bus got to you...you had a really bad attack. Are...are you sure you're OK?” Louis asked, his voice quivering a little bit. He was scared. I was supposed to be comforting him and here I was on the ground on the side of the highway, having an asthma attack.   
“M'fine. Let's go. We have to get to that game.” I said, struggling to sit up again. Coach tried to protest, but I forced myself upright, ignoring the slight tightness in my chest. “Coach, I am not messing this up for everyone again. My life was screwed up enough at the last Championship we went to, and I'm not letting this one flop because I freaking broke down halfway there. We are getting to that game.” All of them stared at me, and I just glared back, until Coach sighed heavily and ordered Josh and Louis to get me on my feet. I heard the bus start up again, and Josh and Louis helped me up the stairs. The whole team was whispering, staring at me as I walked slowly back to my seat and was eased into it by Louis. Niall and Liam sat down in front of us, but they kept looking back, worried.   
The rest of the ride was stressful. I kept getting looks from everyone, sympathetic looks, and I hated it. I hated being pitied. I could take care of myself. But...maybe this was proving something to myself...maybe I did need help sometimes. And I was lucky to have friends who offered that help, people who actually cared about me and my well-being.

________________

We got to the stadium with ten minutes to spare. Coach just rushed us off the bus and threw bags at us, not caring if they were ours or not. Boys were switching bags as we raced for the doors, and I could just see the lights and hear the loud chatter of thousands of fans. This game was huge for us, and I could only remember the last time I had been here. But I hadn't been standing next to Louis at that game, so this one felt even better.  
They let us in, thank the fucking gods, and we ran out onto the field, hearing loud cheers as our friends and family saw us. I could see my mum and sister in the crowd, sitting with Louis' entire family, and Niall and Liam's parents. They looked confused but were cheering anyway. We dumped our bags and pulled on jerseys. I got mine over my head and then looked at Louis. His face was pale gray and he was trembling from head to foot, looking around the stadium. I walked over to him and just stood close to him, blocking the field from his view.  
“Lou, relax. It's going to be OK. Look at me, love, I'm right here. We are gonna kick their asses so hard, and it will be because we work so well as a team. This is their loss for not wanting you. You belong with us.” I squeezed his hand gently, his good hand, before beckoning to Niall and Liam. All of us looked around at the people, slightly in awe of it. We had been here once before, but this seemed a whole lot more real to me.  
“Well, well, well. Look who's brave enough to show their face...Tommo the Homo,” sneered a voice from behind us, and Louis clenched his eyes shut, turning to face whomever it was. We turned with him, and saw a grown adult standing there, with a team behind him. The Coach of Doncaster. The fucking coach had said that to him. Some of the team members behind him snickered, but most of them just looked sadly on at their lost teammate.   
“Why don't you just go to your side of the field, yeah? This is our team, leave us alone,” I retorted, and the coach just smirked at me.  
“What are you, his boyfriend or something?” I swallowed, but I was feeling very brave at the moment.   
“So what if I am? Will that make you run away? Scared to get the gay on you? Well, you can just kindly fuck off, thank you very much.” I turned away from him, taking Louis with me. Niall and Liam gaped at me, but they followed anyway, leaving the other coach and his team standing there, looking dumbfounded that I had the nerve to tell them off.   
“Haz, that was...wow, you didn't have to...” Louis stuttered, and I noticed for the first time that I was shaking horribly, though whether it was from fear or anger, I wasn't sure.  
“I will not let anyone talk bad about you. Fucking jackasses. Come on, Coach is starting huddle.” I said shortly, and we all walked over to participate.  
“This is the biggest game of the year, lads. We have the skill, the team, and the passion we need to beat those homophobic assholes. Umm, I hope this is alright with you, Styles, but I'm making Tomlinson co-captain tonight.” I nodded, grinning sideways at a gaping Louis. Coach winked at us before continuing his peptalk.  
“We are gonna go out there and show them how to play some football, yeah?”  
“YEAH!” The team shouted in unison and it could be heard for a bit among the crowd as they cheered for us. Coach called out the starting lineup and we all headed out to center field. We got in our own huddle, and I looked to Louis this time. Even if we were co-captains, this was his night to show off, and I wanted to let him have it. It would boost his confidence, I was sure of it. Louis looked around at all of us, taking in our determined expressions, and said simply,  
“Alright, mates, let's do this shit.”


	40. Chapter 40

Harry's POV:

I could tell right from the start of the game that Louis was not on his game. His moves were slower and more hesitant than usual, and every now and then I'd be near him and hear one of his former teammates mumble 'fag' under their breath. He would immediately lose concentration, wincing at the words, and they would take the ball right from them. And I could do nothing. Luckily, Josh and I managed to keep up with Doncaster, for the most part. At the half, they were only two goals ahead, and as Coach called us in for a huddle, Josh and I slapped each others backs, proud of what we had done.   
It was quite clear by the looks of everyone that Doncaster was indeed a tough match for us. Every single player was drenched in sweat that only had a little to do with the heat that was beating down on us, even as the sun set. Niall especially was flushed red in the face. He, as the goalie, never had too much work to do, but this game, he had been in and out of the goal, blocking and catching as much as he could. Liam had him, though, nodding to me as I looked between him and Louis. Louis stood at the back of the huddle, shoulders hunched a bit and head down. He picked at the cast on his hand nervously, having taken it out of the sling to play.  
As Coach began talking, I went to the back and stood next to my boyfriend, touching the back of his good hand lightly with my fingertips. I obviously couldn't hold his hand, but I could touch him. He looked up at me, and I could see the tears in his eyes.  
“Hey...hey, Lou, love, it's alright. Don't let them get to you like this...” I whispered, desperately wishing I could kiss him right now to make him feel better. He just seemed to curl in on himself even more.  
“T-they used to like me...just cause I like boys, they just left me for dead...why are people so cruel, Harry?” His voice sounded strained, and I knew he was holding back the tears because he was afraid to show emotion, and this time I understood. I hesitated for a second before putting my arm around his shoulders. Other members of the team were doing it as well, so it wouldn't look suspicious.   
“You're proud of yourself, right?” I asked, breathing the question into his ear.  
“W-what?”  
“Just answer the question.”  
He looked up at me, and our faces were so close, I had to bite down on my lip till I drew blood to stop myself from kissing him. “Yeah. Of course I am. And I have you. And the guys.”  
“Exactly. So it shouldn't matter what the other team thinks of you, or any of the rest of us. It should be about us as a team, your new family. Families like ours, we don't take shit from anyone, especially homophobic assholes like them, yeah?”  
“Definitely. You're right, Haz. Thank you...” He looked like he wanted to kiss me as well, but he held back. I felt my heart breaking just a little bit more at the sadness in his eyes, and all I wanted to do was fix that. But it would have to be after this game.   
Coach had finished talking and the team was headed over to grab some water before the start of the second half. Niall and Liam approached us, looking worn out but smiling still.  
“Hey, look on the bright side...we are only down by two points. If we just score three times and keep them from scoring for the rest of the game, we will have it in the bag.” Liam said, trying to sound upbeat. I almost contradicted him, but Niall beat me to it.  
“OK, sure, Mr. Sunshine. I'll probably die first.”  
Liam took Niall's hand and kissed the back of it gently before pressing a kiss to his lips. I forced myself to look away, knowing that Louis was looking at me with that longing look again, and I drank a bunch of water. I took some and dumped it on my head, hoping it would cool me down, and it kind of worked. I could think more clearly. The other boys noticed what I had done and all did the same thing, and suddenly we all looked like a fresh new team...who were covered in sweat and stuff.   
“Alright, lads, center field, lets go,” Louis said commandingly, and we all headed out without another word. Louis sounded almost pissed as he called us into the huddle, but I knew it to just be determination. He was going to show Doncaster what we were made of  
“OK, here's what we're gonna do. We are pulling out all the stops here. Use the hardest and most confusing plays we have in us, and just keep them from scoring long enough to get to the end of the game with a decent lead. That way, even if they score in the last minutes of the game, we still have a chance to win. Got it?” We all nodded, grinning at each other despite our fatigue. “Let's do this, then,” Louis concluded, and when everyone looked at me, I nodded, agreeing with Louis. We scattered to our positions, but as I headed to center forward, Louis held me back.  
“Switch with me?” he asked, pleading with those blue eyes. I really didn't think it was a good idea this late in the game, but I couldn't say no to that face, or to him in general.  
“You're cheating by using those eyes...but fine. I trust you, love.” I gave his arm a gentle squeeze and headed off to his usual position. I was painfully reminded of the last time we had played in the National Championship, and this had been my position, with Nick at center. I gulped and blocked the memories from my mind. Now would definitely not be a good time to break down.  
The whistle blew and Louis shot off up the field, the ball between his feet. He flashed a number behind his back and Josh and I ran to our respective spots. This was one that used my long shots, so as Josh ran for the goal, I stayed back, about halfway into enemy territory, waiting. Louis had the entire team on him at this point, and he faked a pass to Josh. They all went rushing for the net, and Louis kicked the ball back to me and dove out of the way as my foot connected with the ball, sending it soaring through the mass of people and right into the goal. Cheers erupted from our side of the crowd, and even some of the Doncaster fans were nodding in approval. I could feel the happiness leaking off of Louis as he jogged back towards me, and he clapped my shoulder, letting his hand stay there a little longer than necessary, and consequently making my arm go numb. The forwards of Doncaster were a well oiled machine...but they hadn't met us when we were on our game. We each took our respective player to block, and we had them cornered at every move, so that the one with the ball couldn't get a single pass in. Josh stole the ball from Doncaster and ran up the field, taking advantage of their entire team being on our side. He put the ball into the goal with apparent ease, and our supporters and fans went crazy. I could see Niall jumping up and down from the goal, and Liam was grinning. Josh, Louis, and I looked at each other, pleased with what we were doing. This was working.  
Or so we thought. No less than a minute later, Doncaster had scored. The Doncaster coach, who had been looking extremely angry before, was now eying Louis with a satisfied smirk. But Louis wouldn't even look at him. He kept his focus forward and on the game, unlike me, who wanted to go over there and destroy him for every little thing he had ever done to my boyfriend. But I couldn't do that, of course, so I just concentrated on the game. We had to score twice more in the next two minutes, or we would lose.   
Louis passed me the ball and I dashed up the field, using some of my old fancy footwork to get past the defense. I could see Louis waiting by the goal, waving for me to pass it, and I froze. My mind flashed back to the last goal of the game in the last Championship game I had played, and I couldn't move for fear. Luckily Josh was behind me and got the stationary ball from between my feet, scoring another goal and tying the score. I just stood there, barely able to breathe as the memories overwhelmed me.   
I heard the whistle blow and didn't register what had happened until I felt a hand on my arm, and I jumped.  
“Haz, you alright? What happened?”  
“F-fine...I'm fine...it's nothing...” I mumbled, trying to contain myself before I lost it in front of all these people. Louis didn't look convinced and Josh leaned in, taking a good look at my face.  
“Pretty sure he just...umm,” Josh started, but he looked like he didn't want to say it in front of me, like he was afraid to trigger something.  
“Flashback...” I said faintly, holding onto Louis' shoulder to steady myself.  
“At the last Championship...that move won us the game, but it was Nick, not you.” Josh muttered under his breath to Louis, and Louis' eyes grew wide. He waved someone off, which I assumed was Coach, and looked me right in the eyes.  
“He isn't here. He will never be here again. It's you and me, yeah? Just Harry and Louis.” His voice was quiet, so that only I could hear, and I nodded, shaking myself. This wasn't like last time. This time, the guy I was in love with actually liked me back and wasn't fucking with my feelings. We were here to beat the shit out of the guys who had once made Louis' life hell. This was about him.  
“Yes. It's you and me. Always.” I replied, running a hand through my hair to rid my head of all further thoughts. Both teams were setting up in position and the refs were looking for confirmation to start the game again. Louis pulled me and Josh in and whispered his plan to us. We both bit our lips, but nodded. What Louis was proposing was the exact play we had just tried to do, but with the people switched. I was to be near the goal, Josh was the distraction, and Louis would pass the ball to me, helping me score the final goal. I wasn't sure about it, but Louis thought it would work and I trusted him. I looked up at the clock. 25 seconds left. I took a deep breath and blinked as we headed back to center field, Doncaster with the ball. This was it.  
The whistle blew, and immediately, Louis stole the ball. I tore up the field, heading for the goal. I dodged the defenders and whirled around, waiting. I could see Louis and Josh passing it back and forth, confusing the hell out of the Doncaster players, and then Louis locked eyes with me. He kicked the ball with all the force he had at me as the entire team converged on him and Josh, and it flew through them, reaching me. With no hesitation, I swept the ball into the goal...and it hit the back of the net with a satisfying swooshing noise.   
Time froze at that moment. The ball was buried in the net and I was breathing hard from running so fast. Sweat rolled down my face and I felt the hot air around me, just suspended there. And then it all came back, and the roar of the crowd pounded against my ears. We had won.  
I saw Louis running towards me and I barely had any time to prepare myself before he was jumping into my arms, hooking his legs around my waist and burying his face in my neck. He was only holding on with one arm, but I held him tight to me, keeping him up. I grinned and carried him around a bit before putting him down, seeing the rest of the team running at us. Louis looked up at me and then pulled me down, meeting my lips with his. I gasped and pulled away.  
“L-lou...what the...”  
“I don't know if people say this, but I'm gonna...happy coming out, Hazza.” He whispered, and I felt tears prick in my eyes. His hand slipped down from its position in my hair and he took my hand in his, ignoring the cast. I looked around at the rest of our team who had stopped short, staring at us with grins slowly coming onto their shocked faces. And then there was the Doncaster team, all of whom were looking at us, half in shock, half in disgust. I looked back down at my boyfriend and grinned.  
“Happy coming out, Lou,” I said back, kissing him once again. The rest of the team was on us in seconds, yelling themselves hoarse as we were led to center field, where the trophy was awarded. I had my arm around Louis' waist and I was grinning like an idiot. As they handed Louis the trophy, he shook his head.  
“Actually, Harry is the captain of this team. He should be holding it.” The ref looked at me, and I just nodded, tears gathering in my eyes again. We had done it. We had won, and Louis and I were completely free. As I held the trophy high and cameras went off, I looked down at my Louis, and I decided right then and there that nothing could be better than this moment right here. 

 

Louis POV:

I spent the entire bus ride back to school cuddled up with Harry at the back of the bus. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. We had won, we had actually won. We had beaten my old team. And, more importantly, if you ask me, Harry and I had come out. Well, I had kinda forced him to, but we were happy, and free of the burden of hiding, and I couldn't be happier.  
“Hey, Lou? Wanna spend the night? Mum and Gemma are going to a friends' tonight...it would be just you and me...” Harry mumbled into my hair, pressing kisses to the top of my head. I giggled, yes, like a fucking school girl, and cuddled further into his chest, nodding.  
“Yeah, I'd love it, Haz.” I could feel him smiling and I just closed my eyes for a bit, thinking. If we were a normal couple, we would be going home to an empty house and having sex. But I knew deep down that Harry probably wasn't ready for that. It had been almost 7 weeks since that had happened, but he was just so fragile sometimes, I was afraid to hurt him. That, and also having one hand in a cast would severely complicate things. However, I knew that we would end up making out, and we had gotten to the point of being naked around each other, and even on each other...so maybe I would talk to him about it. Maybe tonight would truly be the most amazing night ever. 

________________

We got off the bus and our families were waiting for us in the parking lot with signs and balloons and everything. My sisters attacked us both, hugging and screaming and cooing over me and Harry. Our hands were intertwined, even as we hugged our own families. I didn't want to let him go ever again, not now that I could just hold his hand and kiss him whenever I wanted to.   
“Night, guys, have a good one!” Niall called from over where he and Liam were standing, talking to their parents. Harry's mum and sister both kissed him on the cheek before heading over to Niall's parents, and I helped my mum load all the girls into the car before kissing her cheek and telling her I'd be back after school the next day. She winked at me, that knowing look in her eye, and I dragged Harry away before he could notice anything. We began walking home together, swinging our twined fingers back and forth between us. Every now and then Harry would dip his head to kiss my cheek, and I could feel myself blushing quite a bit. Harry did things to me that I couldn't even explain.   
We reached the house and Harry unlocked the door, letting us both into the dark house. Harry kept looking over at me as he closed the door, and before he could even move, I had my lips on his, kissing the hell out of him. He closed the door with his foot and let me push him up against the wall, his hands slipping under my jersey to grip at my back. His tongue swiped at my bottom lip and I allowed him entrance at once, needing him. Our hard ons rubbed together through our thin shorts and we both let out small moans.  
“Harry...I...” I started to say, but Harry beat me to it.  
“Lou, I want to have sex.”  
I froze where I stood, pulling back from him in shock. He was looking at me, his eyes blown wide with lust and love, and he looked completely and utterly serious.  
“You...Hazza, are you sure?” I asked, my voice shaking slightly. All I wanted to do was have sex with my boyfriend, but I didn't want him to jump into something he wasn't ready for.  
He nodded, his sweaty curls bouncing everywhere.  
“I know...it's going to be hard for me...but I want it...” He replied, biting his lip a little. I felt my cock twitch in my pants, eager, but I pushed the feelings away as much as I could.  
“I've wanted to hear you say that for a long time...we will take it slow, yeah? As slow as you need.”  
He nodded again, and took my good hand, pulling me up the dark stairs and into his room. I turned on a small light and could finally see Harry. His erection was pressing against his shorts, and I'm sure mine was as well. But I could see the slight fear in his eyes. He was really scared to do this.  
“Harry, I don't want to make you think that you have to do this for me...if you aren't ready, you don-”  
“No, Lou. I want to. I need you,” He said, his voice steady this time. I nodded, closing the door and locking it, just in case. I turned around, stripping down to my boxers, and when I turned back, Harry was sitting on the edge of his bed in his boxers as well, watching me change.  
“What are you staring at, Styles?” I asked, coming close to him but making sure he couldn't kiss me yet.  
“Your bum.” He said this with absolutely no shame, and I blushed furiously. He touched my cheek lightly with his fingertips. “You're blushing...so pretty when you blush, Lou,” he said breathlessly, and I couldn't take it anymore. I leaned down over him and kissed him gently, molding our lips together slowly but with passion. His hand went to grip the back of my neck and he pulled me closer. Both of us fell back onto the bed, and as my cock touched his through the thin fabric of our boxers, I felt him let out a low moan. It shuddered through my body, making me twitch again, and our kiss turned a bit more heated, but not too much. I was going to take this slow and perfect for him.  
“Hazza, where's the lube and condoms?”  
“B-bottom drawer...shit Lou,” He gasped as we rubbed against one another again. I pulled out a sliver packet and a bottle of lube and set them on the side table, dipping my head down to kiss Harry once again.  
“Gonna go slow, yeah?” I asked him, and he nodded. I let my hands slowly trail down his naked torso, being careful not to hurt him with my one casted hand, and reached the waistband of his boxers. I tugged at them, slowly pulling them down until he sprang free. I tried to contain my awe as I threw them into the room somewhere. He was so fucking huge.  
“Like what you see, Lou?” He asked, smirking up at me.  
“Oh, shut up and take my pants of,” I retorted playfully, and he obliged, taking care to rub his hand on my cock before discarding my boxers as well. I leaned over him and pressed small kisses to his lips. Our bodies were already sweaty from the game, but now there was more sweat coming as our cocks rubbed against each other in beautiful friction, causing both of us to groan. Harry reached down to give us both more friction, but I stopped his hand.  
“M'gonna take care of you, baby. Don't worry about me.” He moved his hand back and leaned up to press his lips to mine again. I took him in my small hand and just moved up and down slowly. His eyes fluttered at the motion, and his breathing became pant-like. I was almost worried that he would have an asthma attack right there, but he just gestured for me to keep going. I really wished I could use two hands, but that would surely hurt him, and that was not my goal at all. We were both almost rock hard before I reached for the lube, coating my fingers in it. Harry was looking up at me now, his eyes going wide with sudden terror.  
“Hey, hey, it's me. It's Louis. You can see me, I won't hurt you. You trust me, right?”  
“Y-yes, Lou. I trust you with everything I have. G-go ahead. I'm OK.”  
I pressed more kisses to his lips and his cheeks before letting my finger drift towards his hole. I just circled the outside for a few moments, letting him get used to the coolness of the lube. I then carefully slid my finger inside him. His fist clenched the sheets and his eyes were screwed shut, but he let out a moan of pleasure, and I knew it was alright to keep going. I pressed my finger all the way in, keeping it slow, until I couldn't go in anymore.  
“Add...add another...p-please, Lou, m'ok.” Harry mumbled, and I carefully added another finger. He winced slightly but took it quite well, and shuddered as I started to scissor them, getting him opened up a little bit. I curled my fingers and he let out a whimper, pressing into my fingers.  
“Fuck...shit...a-again, Lou,” He begged, his voice higher than it normally was, while still being amazingly deep. I prodded his prostate again and his back arched slightly off the bed in pleasure, his hips bucking up. I held him down gently, keeping him under control. I was so hard just by watching him, I didn't know how long I'd last once I was in him, but I wanted this to be good for him, so I held back. His cock was leaking precome as he shivered under my touch. I pulled my fingers out and he groaned, wanting more.  
“Do you want to put it on, love?” I asked, softly, handing him the condom. He hesitated, but nodded, tearing the packet open with his teeth, since his hands were shaking so much. He took the condom and rolled it down over my cock, and I tried not to moan too loudly, but his hands on me felt so fucking good.  
“Fucking hell, Hazza...” I mumbled, leaning down to kiss his collar bone as he lubed me up. It took all I had not to come right there, his hands were so good. I pulled back and looked him in the eye. The fear which had been there before was more prominent now, and I felt horrible.  
“You sure you want me to do this?” I asked for the third or fourth time, but I had to make sure. I was not going to cause him to have a panic attack. He nodded.  
“M'ready, Lou...need you in me...” He muttered, trying so hard not to touch himself. He was gonna come if I didn't get this started. I kissed him one more time and lined myself up with his hole, keeping eye contact the entire time. As my tip touched him, he closed his eyes. I gripped his hand tightly and he nodded, telling me it was OK to continue. I slowly pushed my tip into him. His breathing hitched and his hands moved to grip my thighs, like he was holding on for dear life. But he didn't protest, so I kept pushing into him, slowly but surely, until I bottomed out with a groan.  
“So...fucking...tight, damn Haz...” I said breathlessly, looking down at him. His eyes were screwed shut, but his face was blissed out. I stayed still, using all the willpower I had not to come. He was so hot and tight around me.  
“M-move...please,” Harry said, holding onto me tighter. I pulled out a bit and pushed back in slowly, and his eyes flew open as he gasped.  
“Shit...fuck....shit...” He breathed out, sounding completely wrecked. I moved again, a little bit faster, and he groaned deeper than I had ever heard him do so. I was whimpering out of control, because holy fucking shit this boy...  
“Faster, Lou...m'so close...” Harry whispered, gripping onto me and pulling me to him. I began to thrust in a rhythm, and all I could hear was the slapping of skin on skin, and it was such a fucking turn on.  
“M'gonna come...” I mumbled, leaning down to him and meeting his lips halfway, keeping up my thrusts. We kissed, and somehow kept it neat, but with a lot of tongue and moaning.   
“Fuck...fucking shit...Lou...” Harry's words turned into a moan as his back arched off the bed and he came hard, come spilling all over his chest and some even hitting mine. I kept thrusting into him, but it only took about ten seconds before I was coming into the condom, moaning Harry's name. I rode out our orgasms together and I pulled out of him slowly, collapsing on the bed next to him. We were tired and sweaty and covered in come, but neither of us cared. I turned to my beautiful boyfriend and pressed my lips to his sweaty forehead.  
“I love you so much, Hazza...”  
“I love you too, Lou...that was perfect...” Harry said sleepily, kissing me back gently. I pulled him to my chest and we cuddled together, him being the little spoon as usual. Now it was official...this night couldn't have been any more perfect.


	41. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here we are! Thank you so much for reading, I hope you liked reading it as much as I loved writing it. Tell me if you want more of my stuff! Love you all .xx  
> ~L

Harry's POV:

The next morning, I woke to my alarm. Still sleepy, I turned it off and cuddled closer to Louis, who was still spooning me from behind. I could feel how sticky we both were from the events of last night, but I didn't care. Just to be in his arms was enough. Sadly, however, he was waking up.  
“Haz...was that the alarm?” he mumbled in a raspy voice, and I felt myself become aroused almost at once. I probably had morning wood, considering what we had done last night, but I did not want to have to take care of that issue right before school.   
“Yeah, Lou...gotta get up and get cleaned up...school.” I groaned back, my voice still gravely as it always was in the morning. I turned around and pecked Louis on the lips with a closed mouth kiss...morning breath really sucked. I then dragged myself out of bed and turned on the small lamp beside my bed. I turned back around to see Louis throwing off the covers, and that's when I realized...we were both still completely naked. I gulped as I started getting hard, and there was no way of hiding it this time. Louis glanced over at me, and a blush spread over his cheeks. That combined with his messy sex hair did nothing for my little issue.  
“Little...eager, love?” Louis asked, a smirk on his lips, and I flipped him off. But as he walked around the bed, I saw that he had a semi as well, so I gestured to him. He blushed even more and came right up to me, our bodies pressing together.  
“Might need a bit of help with this one...” He whispered in my ear, nibbling on the skin just below it. I shivered and grabbed his wrist, dragging him with me to the bathroom. This wasn't about to be nice and vanilla like last night...I needed him so fucking badly.  
I closed the bathroom door and pressed Louis up against it, not even caring about morning breath this time. I pressed my lips roughly to his, and immediately felt his tongue on my lower lip. I opened my mouth and our tongues began to dance together. I could feel Louis against my thigh, and he was as hard as I was. I broke away from him and turned on the shower, making sure it was extra hot water. I then pulled him in behind me, and just admired him as the water cascaded down over us, washing away the traces of last night. Louis pulled me to him and kissed me hard, tugging on my soaking wet curls. I moaned into his mouth and moved my hand down to touch us both. But Louis pulled away from me and looked up through wet lashes.  
“Want you to...suck me off...” he panted, and I gaped at him. He looked a bit embarrassed, but that just made him cuter. I immediately sank to my knees and licked over his tip, already feeling beads of precome leaking from him. He tasted so good. I had never done this before, not properly anyway, but I just did what I thought was right. I wrapped my lips around his tip and sucked lightly. Louis moaned loudly and his hands threaded through my hair, gripping it tightly. I went down a bit more on him, drawing curses from his lips.  
“Fucking shit...oh god, Hazza...” he whimpered as I continued to go down on him. I had cleverly neglected to tell him that, when I concentrated, I didn't have a gag reflex...and that meant that I could deepthroat. I could feel his legs shaking, and now was the perfect time. I took him all the way down, my nose brushing against his stomach. He let out a gutteral moan and held my head to him. I hollowed my cheeks and sucked as much as I could with his cock filling my throat.  
“Haz...fuck...” he said, his voice rough with pleasure. I pulled off him and began to bob my head up and down, stopping every few seconds to lick around his head.   
“Haz...gonna come...shit...” Louis barely warned me in time before spilling into my mouth. I swallowed every last bit of what he gave me and then stood up, capturing his lips with mine. I kissed him lazily for a bit, and then realized that I was painfully hard.  
“Don't worry, Hazza...gonna take care of you,” Louis promised, dropping to his knees just as I had done. I was slightly hesitant about this, but I trusted Louis with everything I had, so I let him do what he wanted. He licked a stripe up my cock and I tried to find something on the side of the shower to hold on to.  
“Lou...god...fuck...” It was all I could say as Louis took me halfway and started sucking. I had never felt anything so wonderful in my life. My abs clenched as he scraped his teeth ever so lightly on me, making me twitch in his mouth.  
“M'not gonna last...Lou...god, Lou...” I moaned, and he went up and down faster, fondling my balls with his good hand. That made me lose it, and I didn't even have time to warn him before I was coming into his mouth. I came hard and long, and some of my come dribbled down his chin as he tried to take it all down. He looked so hot like that. I was panting and trying to stay standing, but my legs were shaking so hard. He stood up and put his arms around me, supporting me.  
“I love you so much, Hazza.”  
“Love you too, Lou,” I mumbled into his neck, still coming down from my high. From there, it was just small kisses shared as we washed each others' hair and bodies, being gentle and loving. How we could go from heated sexual activities to cuddly, caring actions, I didn't know, but I loved it.  
We both got out and I threw him some of my clothes to wear. Luckily I still had a pair of my old jeans that would most likely fit him, and a small t-shirt. When I turned around, however, it was to find Louis drowning in my clothes, looking like a little child. I chuckled, buttoning my jeans and throwing on my jersey.   
“Don't laugh at me, Harold. I look adorable.” Louis said, tugging off the shirt and putting on his jersey as well.  
“Yes you do, love. Let me just help you a bit...” I sat on the floor and began rolling my jeans up for him until they were a little above the ankle, the way he liked them. He grinned sheepishly and helped me off the floor, standing on his toes to press a kiss to my lips. I felt giddy and happy, and I was smiling. A real, actual smile, at seven in the morning. This didn't happen.  
Louis bounded down the stairs and I followed him, taking the time to look at how good his bum looked in my jeans. I knew I shouldn't, but I couldn't help it. I went into the kitchen and grabbed us some food, which we ate on our way out the door. As we reached the street, I slipped my hand into Louis, linking our fingers together. He seemed almost shocked, but then he remembered that we were out, and he gripped my hand tightly.  
We met up with Niall and Liam outside of the school doors, and all four of us went in together, holding hands with our boyfriends. The people in the halls were cheering for us, as we had just won the National Championships for the second time. As they caught sight of me and Louis, however, the whispers began.   
“Oi, why did you stop cheering? This right here is just as much a cause to celebrate as any. True love doesn't happen often, let's fucking hear it, people!” I looked around and saw Josh in the crowd, his jersey on as well, giving us a thumbs up. The crowd of students resumed their cheering, and most of them smiled fondly at me and Louis. I leaned down and pecked Louis on the lips, in front of everyone, and damn, it felt good to be able to do that. Louis blushed bright red and bit his lip, but I could tell he was trying to hide a huge smile. This was the best fucking day of my life.

________________

After school, we didn't have practice, now that the season was over. I couldn't walk through the halls without someone calling out congratulations to me or clapping my shoulder, telling me I did a great job. I accepted it all, but I still wasn't sure about all the people. It made me kinda nervous.  
When I reached my locker, it was to find a note attached to it in Louis' handwriting.

 

My Hazza,  
Meet me in the choral room? With Nialler and Payno. Love ya,  
Lou

I blushed, brushing my fingers over the note, and headed off down the hall and into the music room. Louis was sitting there, laughing his head off with Niall and Liam. They all hailed me and I grinned, sitting down next to Louis and earning a kiss on the cheek.  
“So...there's a music competition coming up next week...and I was kinda hoping we could enter? Like...all four of us?” Louis said, his voice hesitant. Niall and Liam looked excited, but I was nervous as hell.  
“Umm...I don't know if I can do that...I've never sang in front of people...” I said quietly, looking down at my feet. I didn't want to let them down...but I also didn't want to ruin their chances at winning.  
“Oh, come on, Haz, you're amazing!” Liam said, nudging me.  
“M'not, you know that...”  
“That's a load of fucking bullshit, and you know it.” Niall argued. I bit my lip, and then felt a hand on my thigh.   
“You don't have to, Hazza...but at least try to sing something with us, so we know whether it would work, if you wanted to, yeah?” He used a tone that was merely suggesting, but I knew it was a ploy just to get me to agree. Nevertheless, I agreed and looked over Louis' shoulder at the sheet music.  
“Little things, huh?” I asked, and Liam and Niall chuckled.  
“Hey, you helped write it, you know.” Niall reminded me, and I nodded, not able to disagree with him. I knew my part like the back of my hand.  
“Alright...let's give it a go.”   
Niall jumped up and down and picked up his guitar, starting off the song. It was a slow ballad, the kind that I loved. Liam looked pointedly at me, and then I realized...Zayn had written this with us too. We were the only ones that had known about his secret desire to be a musician. And his solo was first, but he was no longer here. That thought tugged at my heart, but I tried to push it away as I sang his part, doing the harmony with Liam. As Liam began to sing, I closed my eyes and listened. His voice was one that I couldn't listen to enough. He could have gone professional if he wanted to.   
I came in on the melody for the chorus and Liam did the higher harmony, and then it was Louis' turn. He opened his mouth to sing, and I almost melted. His voice fit with ours perfectly, it was almost like it was meant to be there. I then sang my original solo, looking directly at my boyfriend, and we both blushed, going into the chorus once more.  
When Niall started his solo, I had to hold back my tears. It was one of the most beautiful things we had ever written together, and I loved it.  
We finished out the song in perfect unison and just sat there for a moment, in awe of what we had just done.  
“Wow...umm, those other acts better watch it, cause we are gonna fucking slay their asses,” Niall said, and we all burst into laughter. They were all looking at me now for approval, and I nodded, earning a cheer from all of them and kiss from Louis.  
“What should I play, lads?” Louis asked, running his hands over the keys of the piano.  
“Whatever you want, love. After all, you are my piano man...” I whispered, kissing below his ear gently. He giggled, and we spent the rest of the afternoon fooling around in that room, making music and laughing. For the first time since I had come to high school, I felt like I truly belonged. 

________________

After that, the school year flew by. We ended up losing the music competition to some other weird group, even though we had definitely sounded better, but it didn't matter. What did matter was having the whole footie team, including Coach, show up to support us, and the fact that we did it together. Louis and I were beyond happy, being able to show our love in public and kiss whenever we wanted to. I'm sure our teachers and friends got annoyed with how affectionate we were, but it didn't matter, cause we were in love.  
Ouch. There's Louis yelling at me that we are still in love. He's right, of course. I could never love anyone more. I had been in a very dark place when I had first come upon Louis in the bathroom, and he had just brightened my life in so many ways. His sass, his kindness, just...everything about him. He's perfect and I can't wait to live the rest of my life with him. Oh, god, I just wrote that, didn't I? We haven't really discussed that, but I guess I'm just a romantic sap. And there's Louis again, telling me that I am one. Love him.  
Niall and Liam? Still going strong. They are so adorable together, probably almost as much so as me and Louis. I couldn't ask for better best friends, or a better boyfriend. Our last year in high school is gonna be perfect, I can already tell.

Hey, guys, Louis, here. Just gonna butt in a second. What Haz said is all true, and trust me, I'm just as in love with him as he is with me, I just hide it behind my manliness. Anyway, yeah, this year's gonna be great. We've got some promising new talent for the footie team, which Haz and I are co-captaining next year, and it's gonna be great. OK...that's it...Harry's using puppy dog eyes to get me to give his laptop back...and you and I both know I can't say no to that. Love you guys.

Sorry about that, Louis is being his cheeky self. I guess that about covers it all. I can't believe I actually wrote all that down, it seems like it took forever, but really, it wasn't that long at all. I hate to say goodbye to you guys, but I guess this has to come to an end at some point. Thank you for being there for me, through the good times, and the bad. You're all fucking awesome!

All the love, as always xx  
H&L

**Author's Note:**

> If you guys want to follow me on twitter, its @Dont_Stop_Larry , hope you enjoy :)


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